Intermediate/Advanced Jumps, Spins and Footwork
Jumps - Jumps are spins in the air. Actually a jump is a back spin in the air. These figure skating skills have become one of the most important aspects of the sport since the creation of the international judging system. Triple and quad jumps receive so many points that they overshadow most of the other skills when competing. Some of the most elegant skaters have lost in competitions because another skater executes a series of point grabbing jumps.
Jump Types
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Edge Jumps: Waltz Jump, Axel Jump, Salchow Jump, Loop Jump
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Toe Jumps: Toe Loop Jump, Flip Jump, Lutz Jump
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Other: Split Jump, Stag Jump
Components of a figure skating jump:
Preparation: The preparation for a figure skating jump consists of all the steps and strokes that lead up to the entrance. Gaining speed and body position are important here. The preparation for each jump is different.
Entrance: The entrance to a jump includes the steps and turns just before take off. There are several ways to enter any of the jumps. Jumps can receive higher points if the skater performs a more difficult entrance.
Take Off: The take off for each jump is specific and should not be varied, The skater must take off from the correct edge for each specific jump.
Landing: There are several aspect of a jump landing that are important. The skater must have the correct rotation at the time of landing. A skater will receive deductions for under rotating a jump. Over rotation can lead to falling. The skater should show good extension of the free leg on landing.
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Spins
Spins in figure skating are often the most fun for the skater and most appealing to the figure skating audience. Crowds love to watch an elegant or super fast spin. There is so much important information related of figure skating spins that we have an entire section devoted to these figure skating skills. This section includes descriptions, pictures, and video demonstrations of figure skating spins.
There are three basic positions for figure skating spins namely upright, sit, and camel. All of the spins are variations of these three basic positions.
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Camel - Free leg backwards with the knee higher than the hip level, however Layback and Biellmann are still considered as upright spins
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Sit - buttocks not higher than the knee of the skating leg
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Upright - any position with extended skating leg which is not a camel position
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Intermediate positions are all positions that do not fit the definitions of camel, sit or upright.
For a spin to count as a change of position the skater must move from one of these basic positions to another. Here are some of the variations for each of the basic spin positions.
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Upright - Scratch Spin, Layback Spin, Biellmann Spin
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Camel - Camel Spin, Doughnut Spin
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Sit - Sit Spin, pancake spin, cannon ball
There are also varied entrances to the spins. Some entrance actually change the type of the spin. For example a flying camel and flying sit spin.
Components of a figure skating spin
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Preparation: Preparing for the spin is important. Each figure skating spin has it's own variation on what needs to happen to prepare for the spin.
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Entrance: The entrance to a figure skating spin is important. Each figure skating spin has it's own variation on what needs to happen to prepare for the spin.
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Hook: This is where the skater stops the forward motion and converts it to centripetal motion. The goal is to maximize the conversion of energy to rotational momentum.
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Rotation: As the skater pulls their extremities in the speed of the spin will increase. The keys to a long lasting figure skating spin are good centering, balance, and conservation of energy.
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Conclusion/Exit: They exit from a spin is that same as that for a jump. Leg extended, arms out.
Click the element links to view demonstrations:
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More Advanced Jumps and Spins
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Serpentine and Moves in the Field - The connecting elements
Without strong connecting elements, jumps and spins are just isolated elements. Serpentine footwork acts importantly as a connecting interface in between jumps and spins. The video clips below show how the skater manipulates the change of edge and position of body in order to complete a complicated serpentine combination.
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