About Tara » Jumps And Spins

Axel Jump

The Axel is probably the most identifiable of all of the jumps because it is the only one with a forward takeoff. In all of the other jumps, the skater both starts and ends gliding backwards but the axel takes off from the left front outside edge. Since it ends backward like all the others, an axel actually has an extra ½ rotation.

Salchow Jump

The Salchow is named after Ulrich Salchow, a skater from the early 1900s. This jump takes off from the left back inside edge. Typically, the skater turns counterclockwise on the ice, standing on the left leg, settles into that left back inside edge, and then scoops the right leg up and over the left to initiate the jump rotation. Being able to swing the right leg around to gather momentum helps to make this the easiest of the edge jumps.

Toe Loop Jump

The easiest toe jump is the toeloop. To perform a toe loop, the skater glides backward on the outside edge of the right skate, jabs the left toe pick into the ice, and then rotates to the left. Because this jump is so easy (just jab the toe pick into the ice and jump), it is often done as the second half of a combination.

Loop Jump

The loop is one of the most difficult jumps, because the right thigh has to do all the work without any help from a toe pick or a swinging free leg. In this jump, the skater starts by skating backwards on two feet, with the left foot crossed in front of the right. Then, the skater springs off of the right back outside edge, keeping the feet crossed, and rotates to the left.

Flip Jump

he flip looks a whole lot like the toe loop; the only difference is that the skater glides backward on the inside edge of the left skate and toe picks with the right foot to start the leftward rotation. One hint about spotting a flip is the entrance.... most skaters start by gliding forward in a straight line on the left foot with the arms out and the right leg up in front. The right leg then taps the ice as the skater rotates ½ a turn to the left so that he/she is traveling backward. The right leg is still elevated, which is good because it is needed to hit the ice to start the rotation.

Lutz Jump

Being able to identify the entrance to a jump is perhaps most helpful with the lutz because it is so similar to the flip. Like the flip, the lutz uses the right toe pick to vault the skater off of his left leg. The difference is that the Lutz uses the left outside edge instead of the inside. This slight shift of weight makes this jump much more difficult and in fact, one way to cheat the lutz is to switch to an inside edge at the last second (this is called a flutz, since it is really a flip disguised as a lutz). The entrance of the lutz is what makes it easy to identify. Skaters typically do their lutzes in the corner of the rink after taking a long glide on a curving diagonal to set up the proper edge.

Scratch Spin

One popular type of spin is the scratch spin. In this move, the skater stands up straight with the legs crossed. Arms are either held overhead or in front of the body while the skater turns.

Sit Spin

During a sit spin, the skater bends one leg while extending the other out in front. The lower the bent standing leg, the deeper the sit, which results in a better all around spin.

Camel Spin

Another common spin is the camel spin, in which the skater stands on a straight leg with the other leg and torso in a parallel line to the ice. There are several variations on the camel, including the flying camel (in which the skater jumps before settling into the spin) and a catch foot camel (in which the skater arches her back to grab the blade of the free leg; it is also called the donut spin since the body ends up in an O shape).

Layback Spin

A common spin done mostly by women is the layback. In this position, the body is leaning either backward or sideways while the free leg is bent diagonally toward the back.

Jump and spin descriptions thanks to soyouwanna.com.