Tips on the lutz please

[skatetiludrop]

Hey all, I've just started the lutz today and I find it a bit uncomfortable to stay on that outside edge and then jump up. Any tips or suggestions on this particular jump?
Thank you all in advance!
happy jumping :)

[TimDavidSkate]

I had the same frustration that you had learning the lutz. The feel of it is very, very awkward at the first few times, weeks, or even months attempting this damn jump.

The thing that everybody keeps saying is, "passing through" the jump.
Simply do alot of left back edge pulls, A LOT!!! This will enable you to start developing the feel of your back edges. PS: Dont forget your other foot too. :-)

Now the thing that I think about when I do the lutz is as I am reaching back with my right arm, my right free leg should be going back at the same time. You should be thinking on passing through your left side in the middle of this process. This happens very quickly, b/c you have to make sure your "snap" (the motion of taking off in the air and pulling in) is proper. As you pick in, your hip should slightly open up (still the both blades still on the ice) to start giving in your weight to the rotation of the jump.

Do a lot of half lutz jumps at first, to get you comfortable with in synchro with the edge and the jump. Then do a single. If you get this motion right, you will start jumping your lutzes with height. And soon, I guarantee it, you will be so comfortable with it,that the lutz will be your opening warmup jump.

Good luck, email me anytime
Tim David
TimDavidSkate@Yahoo.com

[skatetiludrop]

Thanks a lot Tim!
:)

[2salch0w]

In addition to [the other] Tim's advice, I strongly suggest you practice your half Lutz by landing on your right toe pick. It is often taught to switch feet and land on the left toe pick, but I think that is all wrong.

So, assuming CCW rotation, you'll pick in with the right foot, turn half in the air, then land on the right toe, stepping immediately to a forward left outside edge. Try really hard to keep your left knee up a bit so your left foot is crossed in front of the right foot, like the backspin position. This half Lutz technique so much better emulates the full Lutz that I can't imagine why anyone would teach that other method, yet that is what most coaches do.

Everything else Tim said was right on. Also, reach back for the toe pick, bend deep into that left knee, don't break at the waist, and put the toe pick in either directly behind your skating foot's path, or even a bit to the left. This will help your legs get into the right position immediately in the air, a nice thing about the Lutz once you get it. The last thing you want is to pick way off to the right, a common mistake (picture Bobek), because it takes too much effort at that point to pull it all back to your axis.

I know, a million things to think about at once. Sigh.

Tim (another one)

[Dr. Phil]

Ooh, the lutz is my favorite jump! I landed my double cleanly the first time I tried it!
Anyway, my suggestion is crossing your non-landing leg over your picking leg before picking into the ice for the jump. To get a clean outside edge, turn your head completely over your shoulder (if you land on your right leg, then over your right shoulder) and make sure you keep your picking leg low, no high kick before picking.
Good luck! ;)

[fadedstardust]

Sort of on the same wavelength as 2salchow on this...sorry if I'm just repeating what's been said. But...to avoid flutzing, you want to make sure the toepick is behind you, and that your right hip is open. Actually, it shouldn't be drastic, but the pick should be slightly to your left. The right arm checked strongly back and the left arm strongly in front. This is all if you're CCW jumper, otherwise-reverse. But if you look at Sasha's lutz in slow motion and then Michelle's, you'll see Michelle crosses her leg way behind her and opens her hip. Sasha picks far out to the right, forcing her to get onto an inside edge for her left skate to be dragged back towards her toepick. Not only will this cause flutzing, this will make it hard to rotate in the air. I did this mistake for a long, long, time...because no one explained this to me. YAY hours of coaching on that jump...cause I fixed it on my own. The irony. Good luck!!

[Magz]

Well I recently fixed my lutz and what really helped me was thinking about keeping my left leg (the one that is picking in) fairly close to the ice and controlling it. When I used to do the lutz, I would swing my leg up higher and then slam it down and I'd have no control over it at all and so I flutzed.

[NickiT]

I think about reaching back with my right arm as I pick and concentrate on transferring my weight straight back onto the picked foot. This helps prevent me from bending forwards at the waist which always results in a two-footed landing for me.

Nicki

[icedream]

arch your back and keep your foot close to the ice