I'm wondering if it is possible to get an axel at my age. I am 53 (female). I have gotten all the other single jumps, through lutz and I am in good shape. I feel I am still improving overall and capable of an axel, if I can overcome the fear of falling over and over again.

Has anyone else out there gotten their axels as late in age as in their 50's? Which other "middle agers" are working on the axel?

I'm not an adult, but there is a lady who skates on my session at our club. She's probably early to mid 40s and she can land her axel and double sal, I think her double loop on occasion, too! They're not at confident as younger skaters but she can still do them!!! I definitely think it's possible for you to get yours!!

-Good luck!

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~*~Katie~*~ ...you, the ice, and the music...

I'm an adult with an axel, but I learned mine as a kid. However, I can give you some advice from my relearning them after 20+ years off....

Get the take off right. Most falls don't hurt a bit as long as the take off is right. So learn and practice the take off - do those ugly waltz jumps (if you don't know what I mean, watch the kids with axels do waltz jumps). Then get used to getting over your right side (assuming you are CCW). Waltz-loop, waltz-loop, over and over. Waltz backspins too. Once you are comfortable with the take off and the shift to the right side, even if you fall on the jump it should be no big deal. It doesn't hurt at all (unless you are on rough ice - don't do them at the end of a busy session ).

Good luck. If you are in good shape, and have good preparation, you can do it!

Oh, one more thing -- it is not at all necessary to fling your right side around in order to make the rotation. You get better rotation going straight through with your arms and free leg (think ugly waltz jump). This is a common mistake adults (and kids) make, and that can lead to some ugly falls.

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

There are plenty of stories of people who haven't gotten their axels later (40's/50's) so long as the technique is correct and you don't freak out. I got mine originally at 12 or so and I relearned it at 26 or so...

Good luck

Ugly waltz jump?

I think the people who can do axels have GREAT waltz jumps - I'm the one with the ugly one lol. By this you mean the free leg doesn't extend all the way out? I see lots of those in people who are doing axels....but I don't think they're ugly, they usually get really good height!

Hee, hee. To me a beautiful waltz jump is one that looks like something you'd see in ballet - the free leg is extended out in almost a split position.

An ugly waltz jump is a axel prep waltz jump, where the free leg is coming up and through, with a bent knee, which is what you need to make an axel successful!

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"The only place where success comes before work is in a dictionary." -- Vidal Sasson

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." -- Unknown

I have a two foot axel. Landing on one foot is a very rare event, but it has happened. I'm an adult and learned the axel so it's possible. For me having a coach who believed I could made a huge difference, that and not knowing what she was teaching me. I had no idea to be scared. I fell a ton at first, you gotta be tough about this. You need to have a tough spirit to get up when you kill yourself and try again. Kids fall a ton too, it's not an adult thing. Have your coach put you in the harness. Once you get the feeling go solo. This is where the hard part comes to me. No coach to save your tush! I agree, lots of waltz/loops. Lots! Be positive and go for it!

Chico

I found out axels were hard from the kids at the rink. When I asked my coach at the time she just said, "NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" And yes, I did meet fear for the first time trying axels. =-)

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"I truly believe, when God created skating, he patted himself on the back."

There's a woman at our rink in her late 50s who is this close to landing her axel - in fact, she may well already have done it. Quite possible to do it in your 50s.

Us quinquagenarians rock!

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

I'm glad you clarified this! Thought I'd have to ask you to step out back.....

I think waltz jumps can be very beautiful! But I see what you mean about the "ugly" one. So, maybe it's the ugly duckling and the axel is the swan!

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Skate@Delaware
Ah, show skating!!! I do it for the glitter!

Started taking lessons at 19, mastered the axel at 26.

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Cheated axel at 37, clean by 40...still inconsistant at 42.

"You get better rotation going straight through with your arms and free leg"

This is a great piece of advice. It's amazing how easy they feel when the arms and leg come straight through.

Absolutely true about taking off straight, with the free leg (knee) passing straight through on takeoff. But start turning your right hip in right after you leave the ice, and make sure you bring the right hip *around* until you're rotating backward over it (just like a backspin entrance) instead of doing a straight 1/2 turn from forwards to backwards (like a 3-turn or waltz jump). Just think, "Up! Backspin!" when you take off and your body will know what to do.
By the way, I landed my first axel at 38 and went on to land my first double sal a few months later (although it's still inconsistent). Mastering it on the floor and then on the harness helped me to land it on my own. There is no physical reason you can't do it in your 50's.

My old coach worked with a lady who mastered her DOUBLES at 50 something -- and then she quit skating totally because that was her goal. I was totally amazed!

Keep posting though - I want to hear from others who are working on, or have, axels and doubles in their "middle age".

Well, since you added the "working on" criteria, I can finally post in this thread. I started skating shortly before my 31st birthday. I'm 40 now, and am working on the axel. I don't have it yet, but my coach assures me I'll land it before I'm 50!

Does "working on an axel" in a gym count? I can do it off-ice, slightly cheated (my shoe keeps rotating on the floor after I land). I might even quietly try it on ice when nobody is looking.....

Would be nice to get it by Christmas (Santa, hello?).... Keep dreaming, Olga, keep dreaming......

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My other car is a Zamboni

Well, like Skaternum, I'm working on my axel and 2sal (when I'm not too busy prepping for a test or a competition). Started skating at about 47. Just turned 51 and hope to land them before the year is out. 2Sal will probably happen before axel, but I'll get them both eventually.

Hang in there! I started skating for the first time at 39. Am now 46 and it's been about 3yrs since the first Axel, and that D@mn jump still owns me! IT decides when it wants to land....USH!!! But when it does, it's AWESOME!!
GO FOR IT!!! IT'S WORTH IT!!!
Becca

Do you know of anyone practicing axels while jumping into the deep end of a swimming pool? This always seemed like a good idea to me. A similar idea would be to jump into the foam pit at a gymnastics studio. Would either of these help get the muscle memory for coordinating all the things that have to happen during an axel?

I think that those things could both help you figure out how the air position is supposed to feel, but I doubt they would be very useful in learning the take-off...which is really the most important part of the jump!

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~No thinking, breathing, or hesitation!~

That won't help you get the timing down, and you may get water in your nose. It's very important to get the timing down, since the amount of time you have in the air is limited to the time it takes for you to take off on a waltz jump and come down again. Here is the progression that worked for me:

1. Waltz-loop-loop and waltz-backspin on the ice (make the waltz jump SMALL)
2. Bench exercise - Stand right in front of a secured bench or raised platform, facing the bench. Jump straight up, do 1/2 turn in the air and land backwards on the bench on your landing foot, with arms rounded in front of you and free leg open but bent, free foot in front of shin of landing leg. If you get this transition down, all you have to do is try the same thing on the open floor and pull the arms and free leg in once you get to this part of the jump.
3. Axels on the floor
4. Axels on the harness, if you have one at your rink.
5. Unassisted axels on the ice