Technique

[sk8ing is lyfe]

What is your technique???

post replys to help other skaters here.... ask questions, and answer them with your skating tips!

[sk8ing is lyfe]

ok, i have a problem, how do u prevent your ankle from rolling over on lutzes???

when i do them, at the last second, my ankle rolls over and it really hurts, and takes away flow

how can i get rid of this????

[deathdrop]

hey...make sure u keep your shoulders sqaure, and in line with your hips. Don't let your body tilt or get away from the box your shoulders and hips make. Also when you pick in, keep your edge strait, and pick in under your hip.,..dont let it slide away from you! I hope this helps!
And also, to introduce myself, my name is cindy!

[sk8ing is lyfe]

thx cindy ... i have tried EVERYTHING, but nothing works... i will take that into concideration...

do u need help with anything????

[silverskates]

Think of drawing the skating foot back (left for CCW jumpers) instead of jumping off the toe of the free leg. Try to think of lifting off instead of shifting the weight onto your free foot for the pick. If you try to do this too quickly, the ankle may roll over. By keeping a nice solid and flowing edge to draw back on, you will have a better pushoff and your ankle shouldn't roll as much.

[deathdrop]

any hints on flips!?

[sk8ing is lyfe]

i am re-learning flip right now, trying to get my 3le back. i go into mine like a sal, then pick(obviously) this really helped my consistancy...

i cant really say much because, i have nothing to say and am learning it over again myself...

anyone else have info????

[deathdrop]

yeah same:P

[becca]

On my flip I always think of picking under my sholder (my leg really loves to go sideways) and then make sure that i pivot when i take off.

Does anyone have any tips on 2toes. All my other jumps up to 2lutz are really good and my 2toe is not even close! Some days I pick too far across and get tangled on the take-off. Other days I do the opposite and pick-axel. Both result in an underrotated jump, on 2 feet. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[sk8ing is lyfe]

om my 3toe (or 2le) i think of stepping wide and just driving it out to the boards... i never rush and just let it happen. i always just let everything draw in and the somehow i just pop... i dont really know what to say because that jump is so natural for me... anyone else have a technique for that?

[icesk8er31]

The biggest keys my coach told me about my flip, which is now my best jump, is to keep the 3 turn REALLY straight, to check your right shoulder back REALLY hard, and to make sure you pick behind your pony tail.

[sk8ing is lyfe]

thanx... but i dont have a pony tail... o well... i know what you mean!

thx...

anything on axel????

[love2sk8]

Axel

Make sure that when you set up for it, you don't go around the corner. make sure that you step with your weight on top of your foot, not all unbalanced..cuz the littlest thing can throw you off...on my 2axel, i try to remember to jump over the fence...it helps to get my leg thru, and then just propel your body, lifting it up over the leg, into a tight backspin.

[sk8ing is lyfe]

good news, i finally fix my flip...

ok... what i do is - i go into it from a back right outside three turn, mohawk and then i just reach back and pick! it works so well... the only problem is i have to worry about drawing back square and level.

i also fixed my lutz, the problem was that i wasnt bending enough. if i bend really low, my ankle doesnt hurt... wierd...

just thought id let you know...

[sk8ing is lyfe]

moving up....

ok, ill add sumthing tho too,
on my axel, i am having problems with the edge coming around too much. if u look at it quickly, it almost is beginning to look like a sal. WHAT CAN I DO????

[vesperholly]

About the axel, think of jumping slightly outside of the circle instead of into it. You might also be rushing the entrance - whipping around to get the rotation instead of jumping up first and then turning. The edge should be a shallow curve. Jump straight forward and push your arms and free leg through. Go UP then pull IN.

A good axel will get lots of height, distance and flow in and out. You want a Sasha Cohen axel, not a Tanja Szewczenko axel (horrors!).

Jocelyn

[96.23??]

hi yes i also need help with my axel

ive had a billion people tlel me that i dont bring my knee thru and i try but i cant. any trix or things to remember?
i can land it and evrything but if i wanna improve i hafta fix it any other tips then jsut saying, bring ur knee thru.

[inuk_shuk]

and 2 sal tips?? mine's absolutly horrible...

[becca]

inuk-shuk - do you have a good axel? I don't really have many tips if you don't but if you do than I can probably help. I had a really good axel for 2 years before I finally got a clean 2sal so I can tell you lots of things that my coaches told me if you are in the same situation. Also, do you know what specifically is wrong with your 2sal?

[96.23??]

i know this may sound weird but it works for me when ur going in and ur on ur light leg make sure all ur weight is on ur leg i check this by bending done on it and then coming up once before i jump its weird but it works for me

[inuk_shuk]

96.23? i think my coach suggested that but for another jump..dont remember which one tho.
becca -- i think everything is wrong with it haha. it's the jump i have the most problems with, single too. when i try to do a double sal, i don't even get around to a single. i htink whatever i do on the take off is most of the problem . . the sad thing is i probably couldn't even describe my take off to you :roll: lol

[96.23??]

hi yes ur coach probably suggested it for a loop many skaters do it for a loop. but i find it helps a lot!! ok for ur saw ive seen it and i had the same problem when i wanted to do a double i ended up doing less than a single dont think about the rotation think about ur height think about catching your backspin in the air! it helps me to think of is as an exercise than the real jump.

[becca]

hmmm, well what i think about on my 2sal take-off is:

1) make sure that i really check after my 3turn. I wait on my LBI edge for what seems like forever and make sure that my left hand is really pressing across my front.

2) I bring my right leg in front and pause in that position (it is actually tracing my edge almost like in figures)

3)I use the free leg and body to really bring the edge around tightly just before take-off (coach says edge should come 2-4 blade length into the circle for the checked edge tracing)

4) I press on my toe and snap my hips forward

The tracing on the ice almost looks like a fish hook with an extra little line on the end (where you actually turn forward before jumping). Obviously, if you are a reverse jumper, switch all the feet to what you do. Hope this helps and isn't too confusing!

[96.23??]

hey becca
can u help me with a double toe i always cheat
i will turn on my pick making it into a toeaxel!!!! its soo frustrating

[inuk_shuk]

becca, thanx so much for that!! i think that'll help a lot. the take off is always the hardest part of a jump for me..ill just go into it, forgeting to focus on everything i'm supposed to, then remember i was supposed to set up totally different while i'm in the air.needless to say, it doesn't work out too well :) lol. thanx again for the help!

[becca]

sorry 96.23??, my 2toe is my worst jump so I'm afraid I can't help much. I either toe axel or really cross my toe way to far under. The only thing I can tell you is that my coach tells me to really check my left arm (right if you are a reverse jumper) across the front of my body...almost to my right side. This usually keeps me from toe axeling. I find that putting tons of pressure on that front arm is the key to most of my double jumps (I almost pretend that someone is pushing up under my hand as hard as possible and I am trying to push back...my coaches used to make me actually do this).

inuk-shuk, I also sometimes forget what i'm supposed to be doing on jump take-offs until i am half way through the air. Luckily for me muscle memory takes over and they still come out OK.

[96.23??]

sweet thanx for the tip does anyone else have any good tips for not toe-axeling??

[sk8ing is lyfe]

in order to not toe axel, i think of bringing my heel thru instead of my toe

mayb this will help... post again if you need further explanation

[96.23??]

thanx! :)

[sk8ing is lyfe]

i have a question... i am having problems determining the length of my take off edge for axel. its either too long or too short... what do you recommend???

[96.23??]

cant help u there, uve seen how bad mine is! :P

[love2sk8]

Any help on lutz's??? Thanks!

[sk8ing is lyfe]

what works for me now in lutzes is to make sure i let the jump "breath" and to get a good strong deep bend in my ankle and knee right before the pick, then, i draw back keeping my shoulders and hips square and big "first of four" driving everything up. and land!!!!

hope that helps a bit....

p.s. no one has timing for axel????

[love2sk8]

Thanks a lot, I'll try that! Can't forget first of four...

I sent someone a PM on axel, i'll forward to you if you want...

[sk8ing is lyfe]

i took a break from skating and came back and its better now, except i have an aweful skid!!!!!!! its sooooo bad and embarassing! o well... what can i do to fix it?

[love2sk8]

Stay SQUARE!!! Thats the most important thing...its prolly cuz your left shoulder is dropping, or cuz your putting too much work into it, instead of letting the jump lift naturally. Don't force it too much, let it flow!!

[sk8ing is lyfe]

thx, ill get back to you on that (how it works)

[icenut84]

You people all seem quite advanced, so can I post a non-jumping question? :) I'm not a natural spinner, and although clockwise is my preferred rotation direction (I jump and prefer footwork that way), my spins the other way are better (maybe just because they're on the left foot). Anyways, I'm carrying on practicing both. I can spin both ways, but I'm trying to learn scratch spins. I find it really hard to cross my foot right the way over - I haven't managed to do it yet, although I've got close. If I go too fast I tend to get scared and stop! lol. Any suggestions? Also, I tend to usually travel a bit, and also the circles are a little big because I think I drop to too much of an inside edge. I haven't had a lesson for over a month so I can't ask my coach (don't have one at the mo). I'm trying to make sure I stand upright and keep balanced but it's hard. I'd appreciate any suggestions :)

[jazzpants]

Oh, oh! Something I know about!!! :D :D :D

First the spinning and falling on the inside edge part: Try raising your free knee HIGHER!!! Pretend you're balancing a plate of spaghetti on your thigh! (Assuming the stark free leg position!!!) That will also automatically raise your hip higher, which should help tip the balance in your favor.

As for the scratch spin part: First thing: get the first part! That should help you feel more secure (relieving the fear factor part.) The only difference now is that you're going to straight the lower leg so your free leg is point out at say 11 (if you're spinning CW) or 1 (if you're spinning CCW.) Your free foot should be pointing out too!!! Both your arms should be at shoulder height and levelled.

After ALL THAT, all you have to cross over and do the scratch is to bend your free knee again, but your free foot is over and past the skating knee! (No, we definitely do NOT want it ON the knee!!! OWWWW!!!) 8O That should help you get through the rest of it.

Good luck with your scratch spin, icenut84!

[becca]

In order to stay centered on a forward spin, press really hard on your baby toe.