Axel Trouble

[AmuChan363]

Hi!

So I landed my axel last summer for the first time, after just over a year of off-ice training to build up to landing my axel. Thing is, my 'axel' was from stand still off of a line in the ice, and underrotated. Now I'm trying to focus on landing it from backward crosscuts and doing it with speed, i'm having alot of trouble getting speed but I can't seem to get the edge I need. Usually off ice I will do two hops and then pop up into the air, which lead to inconsistently landing it on ice. My best attempts now from backward crosscuts but coming to almost a stand still and just cheating the jump.

My question is, is there any tips on how I could get better speed, more height (will help with the underrotating.. i'm about 2cm off the ground) and more consistent (as much as I work on it off-ice... i get the feeling that doing it off ice kinda killed learning to get that edge)

[mskater93]

The entry edge needs to wait longer with a good knee bend more than likely

[vlaurend]

The more speed you have, the easier it is to lean too far forward or too far back instead of staying right over your hips for the takeoff. There are two things that I have found help me with this:
(1) Generate all of your speed before actually setting up the axel. So, for example, if you are doing a RFI mohawk and stepping down onto a RBO edge before stepping forward onto your LFO takeoff edge, build up all of your speed before you do the mohawk. Do not push at all on the entry to the mohawk and try to cover as little distance on the ice as possible at that point. That will keep you balanced right over your hips.
(2) Arch your back as you push out onto the takeoff edge. That means push your chest out while pulling your shoulders back and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Especially make sure the right shoulder (landing side shoulder) stays back. This will also help keep you aligned right over the ball of your takeoff foot, which is where your weight needs to be.

Also, if the side-tap setup seems to help you, it's probably because it forces you to keep your right side back (especially your right shoulder) as you get ready to take off. You need to consciously focus on keeping the right shoulder pulled back as you step onto the takeoff edge, just like it's an anchor. If you are keeping your shoulder back, you will find that your takeoff edge stays under control and doesn't curl. Once you're on your takeoff edge, you should feel like you're going in a straight line towards whatever you were looking at as you stepped out onto that edge. Hold that position for 2 beats with your back arched and shoulder pulled back, then jump straight up off the toe.

[silver.blades]

You could try replicating the hop you do off ice on ice by doing a mazurka into the axel.

[leafygreens]

The more speed you have, the easier it is to lean too far forward or too far back instead of staying right over your hips for the takeoff. There are two things that I have found help me with this:
(1) Generate all of your speed before actually setting up the axel. So, for example, if you are doing a RFI mohawk and stepping down onto a RBO edge before stepping forward onto your LFO takeoff edge, build up all of your speed before you do the mohawk. Do not push at all on the entry to the mohawk and try to cover as little distance on the ice as possible at that point. That will keep you balanced right over your hips.
(2) Arch your back as you push out onto the takeoff edge. That means push your chest out while pulling your shoulders back and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Especially make sure the right shoulder (landing side shoulder) stays back. This will also help keep you aligned right over the ball of your takeoff foot, which is where your weight needs to be.

Also, if the side-tap setup seems to help you, it's probably because it forces you to keep your right side back (especially your right shoulder) as you get ready to take off. You need to consciously focus on keeping the right shoulder pulled back as you step onto the takeoff edge, just like it's an anchor. If you are keeping your shoulder back, you will find that your takeoff edge stays under control and doesn't curl. Once you're on your takeoff edge, you should feel like you're going in a straight line towards whatever you were looking at as you stepped out onto that edge. Hold that position for 2 beats with your back arched and shoulder pulled back, then jump straight up off the toe.

Great tips, thanks. I tend to lean too far on the RBO after the mohawk.

[Irishflip]

For more height you need to bend your skating leg and really bring the other up like jumping up a huge step. My coach says it doesnt matter how quickly you close in the air if there's no air time there's no time to rotate. Really the height thing is about fear, dont be afraid to fall but at the same time dont wildly fling yourself into the air. Also dont jump across yourself if you know what i mean. jump straight forwards which is done by keeping the hips straight if you jump across you'll swing.