Below are 7 basic level figure skating jumps.
1. Waltz Jump
A waltz jump takes off from a forward outside edge. A half revolution is made in the air, and then lands on a back outside edge on the opposite foot. This is covered in the Bronze level of single skating.
2. Salchow
The salchow jump was invented by Ulrich Salchow in 1909.
The salchow is usually done from a forward outside three turn although sometimes it can be done from a mohawk. After the three turn, the skater stops momentarily with the free foot extended behind, then swings the free leg forward and around with a wide scooping motion. Then, the skater jumps in the air and lands backwards on the foot and leg that did the scooping motion. A salchow jump is done from the back inside edge of one foot to the back outside edge of the other foot. A half revolution is done in the air.
I’m currently learner this jump and is part of the Silver single skating award.
3. Toe Loop
A toe loop is done with the use of the toe pick. While skating backward on an outside edge, the skater picks with the other toe, then jumps a half revolution in the air like a waltz jump, and lands on the foot that did not pick. The skater should be gliding backward on an outside edge when the land. This jump was invented during the 1920′s by Bruce Mapes who was an American professional show skater. Most of the time, the toe loop is entered from a forward inside three turn.
4. Loop
In a loop jump, an ice skater takes off from a back outside edge, jumps a full revolution in the air, and lands backward on the same back outside edge from which he or she took off.This jump is easy for non-skaters to recognize since there is no toe assist. It is considered an “edge jump” since no toe assist is used on the take off. Loop jumps are often done as the second jump in figure skating jump combinations.
5. Flip
A flip jump is a move where the skater glides backward on a back inside edge, picks with the other skate, jumps a full revolution in the air, and lands on the back outside edge of the foot that picked.Most figure skaters enter the flip jump with an outside three turn and then “pick” with the free toe. The three turn done before the flip jump must be done in a straight line. The toe pick assist looks a bit like a pole vault. Some skaters enter the flip with alternative entries, such as a forward inside mohawk.
6. Lutz
A lutz jump is done just like the flip, but the takeoff is from a back outside edge instead of a back inside edge.The lutz jump was invented by a Austrian man named Alois Lutz who first performed the jump in competition in 1913.
The lutz jump must be taken off from the back outside edge and is considered a counter-rotated jump. It is very difficult to stay on a back outside edge as the skater takes off; if the skater does allow the blade of the take off edge to roll over to an inside edge, the jump does not receive full credit and is consided a flip jump. This mistake on a lutz has been nicknamed a “flutz.”
7. Axel
The takeoff of an axel jump is on a forward outside edge. After jumping forward from that forward edge, the skater makes one and one-half revolutions in the air and lands on the other foot on a back outside edge.This jump was invented by a skater named Axel Paulsen who first performed this jump in 1882.
It takes time to master an axel jump. It may take years for some skaters to master an axel. Once a skater “gets an axel,” double jumps usually come quite easily. If I can ever in my life do an axel I will be soooo happy its unreal.
