Air position

[ferelu]

Hi! When I do jumps, I'm always bent at the waist in the air. I can extend my upper body and my legs but they are not aligned with each other. Any tips to get a straight air position (shoulders over hips over feet)?

[SkatEn]

I'm interested to find out too. :) Guess who has the same issue? I hunch over and apparently look down in the air.

[antmanb]

I'm not sure i have much help to give but whenever i'm bent over in the air it is because i've looked down at the ice before I've jumped. Always keep your head up when you jump. If i go through a phase of being bent at teh waist in the air i make myself look out into the stands before i jump.

Teh second problem i have is breaking at tha waist as I land - and that too is from looking down at teh ice on the landing (usually when i expect to fall!).

Ant

[CoachPA]

Are we talking about the in-air for axels, doubles, etc.? If so, I wrote a lengthy blog post (http://thecoachesroom.blogspot.com/2009/03/skaters-q-back-spin-help.html) about back spin positions that may help you, specifically the section about Basic H and Basic D positions, which is what I teach for backspins and axels, double jumps, etc.

Try focusing on these positions--Basic H and Basic D--in backspins first. You'll soon be able to carry these positions over to the in-air positions of your jumps.

[katz in boots]

As I say to kids learning their first jumps: "how can you possibly jump up if you are looking down? Look where you plan to be in the air."

I'm not an expert, however holding your abdominal core muscles strongly throughout the jump can make a big difference. I don't think you can be breaking at the waist if these muscles are held strongly throughout the jump, from the entry turn/step and on through the air down to the landing position (having major core muscle issues). Speaking as a skate school judge, salchows, in particular seem to show up this problem.

[flo]

Press down through to the toes. For example in a loop jump, you push down against the ice to jump, and follow through and keep that toe pointed and pressed down. This will elongate the torso and keep you in line.

[ferelu]

I'm not an expert, however holding your abdominal core muscles strongly throughout the jump can make a big difference. I don't think you can be breaking at the waist if these muscles are held strongly throughout the jump, from the entry turn/step and on through the air down to the landing position (having major core muscle issues). Speaking as a skate school judge, salchows, in particular seem to show up this problem.

Do you have any tips on how to hold yout abdominal core muscles strongly? I am completely incapable of doing that yet I do have abs. I just don't know how to contract them.

[doubletoe]

I agree 1000% that your body follows where your eyes are looking, so you must look up slightly when jumping.

Another reason you might break at the waist is that your legs are not in the right position. On a loop, flip or lutz, your takeoff/landing leg should be straight and reaching down toward the ice while your free leg should be bent at the knee with the thigh lifted (the "h" position). On a toeloop or salchow, your landing leg should be bent and lifted on takeoff, then straighten once you are in the air and getting ready to land (at which point the takeoff leg should bend and lift a little so that you are in the h position before you land).

[Skate@Delaware]

Do you have any tips on how to hold yout abdominal core muscles strongly? I am completely incapable of doing that yet I do have abs. I just don't know how to contract them.
There is a difference between "abs" and "core" muscles...ab muscles are part of your core but not 100% of your core; they are part of the front of your core, yet your core is made up of the muscle that surround and envelope your trunk (copying from Wikipedia cause I'm lazy):
Major muscles included are the pelvic floor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelvic_floor) muscles, transversus abdominis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transversus_abdominis), multifidus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multifidus), internal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_oblique) and external obliques (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/External_oblique), rectus abdominis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectus_abdominis), erector spinae (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erector_spinae) (sacrospinalis) especially the longissimus thoracis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longissimus_thoracis), and the diaphragm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaphragm_%28anatomy%29). Minor core muscles include the latissimus dorsi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latissimus_dorsi), gluteus maximus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluteus_maximus), and trapezius (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapezius). As you can see, not all of them are abs.

One of the most interesting ways I've heard about holding in your abs has been to try to suck in your bellybutton as though you are bracing for a sucker-punch (or, try drawing in your belly-button to your spine). If you can't hold this position standing, lay down and try it. Once you have built up a bit, then try it standing.

Exercises that help you build up your core (better than situps/crunches) are bridges and planks (front and side).

[katz in boots]

Do you have any tips on how to hold yout abdominal core muscles strongly? I am completely incapable of doing that yet I do have abs. I just don't know how to contract them.

I am definitely no expert in this, I am working on using the core muscles myself at the moment. In my limited experience, it isn't so much crunching them in as holding them firm, not allowing any floppiness, which in turn keeps the upper body straight and strong.