First of all I too am a Basic pilot this year, but have a very good instructor for learning proper IMAC flying. What I have been thought is that the manuvers that are in the center of the aresti are to be "center box", regardless of the zoneless box. This was also mentioned at the judging seminar in Muncie that I went to. So I always try to make my spin, loop, and 180 turn (basic class) in the center or right in front of me and the judges.

That being said if you are way down at the other end of the box before the plane is ready to stall, you need to you need to make your box bigger. Splais may have an idle issue that is working against him but the rest of us sould be spinning in front of the judges.

I am flying a plane that just doesn't show a clean break either. I know when it has stalled so I then initiate the spin....zero....no clean break. During my last IMAC my last two spins were zeroed due to what looked to the judges as a forced entry. Since then I have added more up elevator with good results. Just before the plane stalls full elevator is applied so that the nose pitches up(as mentioned before) but not enough to lose my line or gain altitude. Only then does it show a hint of break, hopefully enough to convince the judges.