Lutz jump

[miraclegro]

I was just in a holiday show, and i CAN do a lutz jump. Problem is, i think i get anxious just before hitting it. I have done exceptional ones, but I think i may wait just a bit too long, and in the show, i just did this little tap dance thing around it and didn't go through with it. Any tips on timing, how far that back leg should stretch behind, and body position?

I have to get this crazy thing down, because i am wanting to work on my Adult Silver freestyle test! Thanks for any advice!

[sunshinepointe]

I was working on my lutz jump last I skated, and I think it's important to really attack the jump, especially in practice. Go at it full speed, give that picking leg full extension and don't ride the entrance edge all the way down the rink. I almost do a count of three coming out of back xo's - 1 pick up leg, 2 extend, 3 jump. No waiting! Hope this helps a little bit.

[Hannahclear]

My coach has observed that when I wait, I only land the jump about 10% of the time, when I get going right away, I almost always hit it. For example, I do my lutz in the diagonal corner. There's a hockey circle there on most rinks. My goal is to jump when I get to the red border of the circle. If I wait until the red dot in the middle, I'm usually in trouble. If I pick in right after hitting the red border, I'm usually good.

Always, NEVER break at the waist. Stand up straight for take off. Look at your left hand and make sure it stays in front (provided you jump CC).

[doubletoe]

The faster you're going, the farther you need to reach back, and the more you have to arch your back and pull your shoulders back as you reach back. Although you're on an outside edge, try to do it on a diagonal, i.e., a shallow outside edge. If you make the outside edge too deep, you will swerve and flutz when you reach back to pick.

As for the takeoff position, here's a great exercise (assuming you pick and land with your right foot; reverse L and R if you don't): Stand on the ice right next to the boards, with your left hip against the boards. Bend your left knee and reach back with your right foot as though you are going to pick for your lutz. What parts of your body are touching the boards, other than your left hip? If you are in the right position, the 3 points that should be touching the boards are: (1) Left hip, (2) Right foot, (3) Right hand. Yep, your right hand is touching the wall and your left shoulder is not! That's how far you need to counter-rotate your shoulders on the takeoff edge.

It sounds like you already got some good ideas on the timing, and mine is pretty much the same. I start reaching back as soon as I reach my maximum speed on my crossovers. The amount of time I take to reach back and pick is just the 2 seconds it takes to bring my right foot to the side of my left and reach all the way back with it. Never hesitate.

[mikawendy]

As for the takeoff position, here's a great exercise (assuming you pick and land with your right foot; reverse L and R if you don't): Stand on the ice right next to the boards, with your left hip against the boards. Bend your left knee and reach back with your right foot as though you are going to pick for your lutz. What parts of your body are touching the boards, other than your left hip? If you are in the right position, the 3 points that should be touching the boards are: (1) Left hip, (2) Right foot, (3) Right hand. Yep, your right hand is touching the wall and your left shoulder is not! That's how far you need to counter-rotate your shoulders on the takeoff edge.

Wowee, that's hard! I just tried that at home beside my desk, and that's definitely more counterrotated than I am when I do the 1/2 lutz. (I haven't started working on full lutz yet.)

[doubletoe]

Yeah, I was a little shocked when I first did that exercise, too, LOL!
But I'm beginning to see a pattern in figure skating jumps now that I'm starting to land doubles: In order to get all the way around and land backwards, you need to twist your upper body away from the direction of the jump on takeoff, not towards it. It seems awfully counter-intuitive, but it actually gives you that quick "snap" and fast rotation as your upper body catches up with your hips in the air. Kind of like pulling a rubberband back, then letting go. :) The lutz is the first jump where you really experience that fully.

[yogurtslinger]

Yeah, I was a little shocked when I first did that exercise, too, LOL!
But I'm beginning to see a pattern in figure skating jumps now that I'm starting to land doubles: In order to get all the way around and land backwards, you need to twist your upper body away from the direction of the jump on takeoff, not towards it. It seems awfully counter-intuitive, but it actually gives you that quick "snap" and fast rotation as your upper body catches up with your hips in the air. Kind of like pulling a rubberband back, then letting go. :) The lutz is the first jump where you really experience that fully.

That’s a good point. I’ve been noticing that when I land a really “crisp” jump (the rotation feels effortless), I usually “checked” my upper body really hard on take off. When I’m tired or just not paying attention, I don’t check my upper body as hard and usually the jump doesn’t come off as well. Especially with jumps like the lutz or the loop. I have to actively think about NOT letting my left shoulder rotate backwards when I’m jumping. Also with the axel… if I rotate my body with the direction of rotation, it just kind of twizzles on the ice.. but if I oppose the motion until the last moment possible, the jump really snaps.

It’s really a lot like ballet movement, where every movement is sort of consciously counterbalanced & checked…

[miraclegro]

Thanks for the tip on the "counter" part of the pre-rotation. I think that's probably where i feel good about going into it, along with not hesitating too long. So, when you are actually skating, if my left arm is in front, is my right arm beside or behind? I've heard both from different folks.

Are my shoulders actually supposed to be a little twerked? (spelling ;)

and the extended leg supposed to be more almost lined up behind the left leg when picking?

Thanks, also, doubletoe for the tips. I certainly could use some more tips for that and for the waltz jump - getting a better one and getting prepped for axel stuff.

miraclegro

[miraclegro]

So, Doubletoe,

Is it like (in the exercise you said) my left shoulder and my right leg/toe/foot are reaching behind somewhat for each other? (hope that makes sense!)
-miraclegro

[doubletoe]

So, Doubletoe,

Is it like (in the exercise you said) my left shoulder and my right leg/toe/foot are reaching behind somewhat for each other? (hope that makes sense!)
-miraclegro


No, not really. . . Your left arm is extended in front of your chest and actually crossing your chest a little so that your left hand is lined up in front of your right shoulder, not in front of your left shoulder (that's why your left shoulder is not touching the wall). Your right foot (picking foot) is behind, and slightly to the left of your left foot (which is why it is touching the wall). Basically, you are skating on a big circle and when you reach back to pick, your back needs to be facing the inside of the circle and your picking foot needs to be on the circle behind your skating foot. Try it on a hockey circle and then just imagine the circle is a little bigger.

[doubletoe]

No, not really. . . Your left arm is extended in front of your chest and actually crossing your chest a little so that your left hand is lined up in front of your right shoulder, not in front of your left shoulder (that's why your left shoulder is not touching the wall). Your right foot (picking foot) is behind, and slightly to the left of your left foot (which is why it is touching the wall). Basically, you are skating on a big circle and when you reach back to pick, your back needs to be facing the inside of the circle and your picking foot needs to be on the circle behind your skating foot. Try it on a hockey circle and then just imagine the circle is a little bigger.

Actually, I'm not sure if I answered your question clearly enough. It should feel like your right arm and right leg are reaching back together, almost parallel to each other. Since you are counter-rotating your torso to the right, you will see that your left shoulder is forward and the right shoulder is pulled back.