Loop jump?

[newskaker5]

So I was taught this jump for the 1st time today. I can do it and land it- but it feels so weird. I am pretty sure I get zero height on it since it feels way lower than every other jump I do. Anyone have any tricks/ advice to getting height on this jump and also making it feel more "natural"? Is it just practice? Thanks!

[Skate@Delaware]

So, you were just taught it and you landed it?

:giveup:

Where's the trash can for my skates???????

Seriously, lots of practice, and tweaking it here and there and you will get better at it.

(really, where is that trash can?)

[newskaker5]

well landed as I jumped about a milimeter made it around and forced myself into a landing position - it wasnt pretty haha :)

It need to be about 1000x better to considered a "jump" per say haha:lol:

[doubletoe]

I am also impressed that you were able to land the loop your first day trying it! The toughest part of the loop jump is making yourself stay backward from takeoff to landing, never turning out to face the direction of the jump. If you practice backspins, it will make your loop even better. Also, make sure your takeoff position is correct (this assumes you take off and land on your right foot): Right arm and shoulder pulled back, left arm extended straight out in front of you so your left hand is in front of the middle of your chest, back arched, chest over knee over toes of takeoff leg, left blade resting gently on the ice with left heel in front of right toes. Now when you take off, keep your shoulders counter-rotated a little to the right and point your toes really hard and rotate over the toes of your takeoff foot. Since they are already pointed from the takeoff, you'll land on your toepicks first and have a nice secure landing.

[newskaker5]

Thanks for the complements! I will hopefully get a chance to upload videos of my jumps soon (my digital camera has an issue with attached the computer right now), so I can show you my jumps (or lack there of on the loop).

I started learning "real" jumps other than the waltz about 2 months ago and so far my toe loop and flip have some great air time, but the salchow and now the loop that I learned seem to have the same problem - kind of "wiped around" and low. I dont seem to get the way to do edge jumps correctly- hpefully with practice they will come.

Doubletoe - when you say to keep the left foot in from and by the ice - my instructor today taught me to hold the foot up a bit higher - I do a inside 3 on the R foot and hold the free leg up (same position as on backward edges) then jump for the loop. Is that correct or is holding it higher the beginner version? If I keep the free leg lower will it help me get more height? Should your weight be over your free side or over the right side on takeoff?

Thanks!

[doubletoe]

Doubletoe - when you say to keep the left foot in from and by the ice - my instructor today taught me to hold the foot up a bit higher - I do a inside 3 on the R foot and hold the free leg up (same position as on backward edges) then jump for the loop. Is that correct or is holding it higher the beginner version? If I keep the free leg lower will it help me get more height? Should your weight be over your free side or over the right side on takeoff?

Thanks!

The reason my coach wants me to rest my free foot on the ice on the takeoff edge is twofold: (1) It forces me to bend my skating knee more, and (2) it gets my weight onto the ball of the blade instead of the back of the blade of the takeoff foot.

Having said that, it isn't necessary to have your free foot on the ice, and when you do the loop jump out of the landing of another jump, you can't put your free foot on the ice. And yes, regardless of whether your free foot is on the ice, you must have your weight over your takeoff side. That may be why your coach wants your free foot off the ice for now.

I'm wondering if the reason you aren't getting height on your edge jumps might be because you are trying to take off from the middle or ball of the blade instead of rolling up onto the front of your blade and taking off from the pick. It's a common problem for lots of people first learning edge jumps because they take the term "edge jump" too literally. Even though the loop and salchow are called edge jumps, that's just a way of distinguishing them from jumps that have a toe assist from the other foot (like a toeloop or flip). You still jump off the toes of your takeoff foot, not the flat of the blade (try jumping on the floor flat footed and you'll see why elephants can't jump, LOL!). So make sure you get your weight onto the ball of your foot, then spring straight up, pointing your toes hard on takeoff so that you really roll up onto the toepick and jump up off your toepick. You'll be amazed how much spring you get!

[Sk8pdx]

So, you were just taught it and you landed it?

:giveup:

Where's the trash can for my skates???????

Seriously, lots of practice, and tweaking it here and there and you will get better at it.

(really, where is that trash can?)

Ditto that S@D!:frus:

[Team Arthritis]

not the flat of the blade (try jumping on the floor flat footed and you'll see why elephants can't jump, LOL!). So make sure you get your weight onto the ball of your foot, then spring straight up, pointing your toes hard on takeoff so that you really roll up onto the toepick and jump up off your toepick. You'll be amazed how much spring you get!

Oh so you've seen my Loop then: http://www.cosgan.de/images/smilie/tiere/a045.gif
I can do it without leaving the ice at all but still get tired. LOL
I still can only do it from a FI3 - any suggestions for finding the take off spot on the blades from BXO's?
Lyle
(p.s. you were thinking of me weren't you!)

[Casey]

The key to getting height in this jump is exactly when you leave the ice. Sometimes when I am tired I will inadvertently prerotate a bit, and I have to think of jumping slightly "earlier" than I should. If you're prerotating this jump in order to "land" it, it will just make things harder to get right...

Anyways aside from timing, I find that the key is the setup - I prefer the BO3 entry to the 3-turn entry. So get onto the right back outside edge with 10-20% of your weight on the left foot which is crossed slightly over in front, and right when you decide to jump you do two things at once:
- Push against the edge to make it a bit deeper than your lead-in
- Do a rapid down-up with your torso, jumping as you come up. For some reason it seems that the faster you do the whole down-to-up bit the better the jump works - i.e. better than getting down first slowly, then a quick up.

If it doesn't work, try leaving the ice just a bit earlier. For instance when I'm tired, I have to think of jumping right when I begin coming up, rather than once I'm 3/4 of the way up, in order to jump as well - I think because my body is just a half-second behind my mind when I'm tired or something :P :P

- Make sure you don't break at the waist - the down-up motions should be entirely from knee-bend.
- Don't pre-rotate - keep the right shoulder back.
- If it doesn't work at first, try 3429860 more times. :D