Axel help please

[The Ice Demon]

This jump is driving me crazy. I am consistently landing it on two feet and fully rotated. It has heaps of height and length. I need to get it one footed for my next test. I tend to lean forward on the landing a little which is why my free leg catches the ice. I am probably not transferring weight over to the landing side quick enough. My coach says i need to think more in the jump. The minute I try and think too much the jump just goes hairy. I told her I DON'T think during jumps - i just take off and it all happens too quickly!! Maybe as you get older your brains slows down??! : (
Any ideas hints that have helped you would be appreciated thanks.

[sk8er1964]

Originally posted by The Ice Demon
This jump is driving me crazy. I am consistently landing it on two feet and fully rotated. It has heaps of height and length. I need to get it one footed for my next test. I tend to lean forward on the landing a little which is why my free leg catches the ice. I am probably not transferring weight over to the landing side quick enough. My coach says i need to think more in the jump. The minute I try and think too much the jump just goes hairy. I told her I DON'T think during jumps - i just take off and it all happens too quickly!! Maybe as you get older your brains slows down??! : (
Any ideas hints that have helped you would be appreciated thanks.

Ok - if you are fully rotated and two footing it, maybe you have a problem getting over your right side (assuming you are CCW). This is a problem that I sometimes have. Either that, or the timing on your check out is wrong. Here's what I try to do to help:

1. Visualize the jump. By this I mean laying down with your eyes closed, in a quiet place, feeling your body go into the jump properly. Feel that you are going up off of your toe and shifting your weight. Feel the check out. This may sound strange, but after you do it a few (dozen) times you will actually feel your body doing what your mind says.

2. Slow walk throughs. Practice your entry edge, the transfer to your left foot, the kick through, then turn onto your right foot for the rotation appropriate backspin. Check out with force and proper timing.

3. Backspins, backspins, backspins. They get the feeling of being over your right side.

4. From the time you decide that you are going to do the jump, think of keeping your abdomin muscles firm (not your back muscles - you might tip over backwards on the landing). This will help with the breaking problem. My coach says breaking is the body's natural response to being in a "dangerous" position (ie it's trying to go fetal). I believe him.

Good luck! You didn't mention how old you are, but I'm 38 and the brain has only slowed down...ummm...well....I think...a little! :lol:

[96.23??]

What I did to get the feeling of them was to do a lot of waltz jump loops with a back spin on the end. Then i would move onto catching the loop in the air. So i would do a waltz jump and catch a backspin position in the air then land spinning in a back spin position! :) it worked for me a lot and is still working! :D
good luck on it!!!!

[The Ice Demon]

Thanks. Will try those things tonight. Number four definitely sounds like me - fetal position - i'm sure that's why i break forward.
Wish me luck!;)

[dancing_queen]

i had that problem also here are some suggestions:

1) let your freeleg swing threw more and then follow it- pretend you kicking someone really hard that u dont like..or on a more friendlier note, pretend your kicking a soccer ball

2) stand up straighter-this is way easier said then done..i have the problem of leaning sometime..what helps me is keeping my chin up

i hope these help:)