Easiest Jump?

JonnyCoop · Feb 11, 2004

Which jump is considered to be the easiest, and/or is the first one usually taught to young skaters?

This is for a short story I'm writing -- I can't find out anything definite in any of my source books, and having never taken lessons myself (and even if I had, it's doubtful I'd've ever gotten to the jumping stage anyway), I'm actually not sure. I THINK it's the loop, but I may be wrong???

sk8er1964 · Feb 11, 2004

I'd say the waltz jump. Next would be either the toe loop or the salchow.

My coach gave my 8 year old hockey playing son a few lessons on figure skates, and the waltz and toe loop are the two jumps he can do.

Good luck on your project!

dlkksk8fan · Feb 11, 2004

When beginners learn to jump the first jump (which was taught to me) was the "Bunny Hop". This jump does not require a turn in the air. Next would come the waltz jump with one half turn in the air. The Salchow would be next, then the toe loop.

If you have anymore questions let me know

sk8er1964 · Feb 11, 2004

Oh yeah, I forgot about the bunny hop. But then again, is it really a jump or more like a prep for the waltz jump?

Steve L · Mar 5, 2004

Hello Skaters and Skateretts!

Actually the easiest jump depends on the skater...I`ll explain...

Some skaters are more at ease with edge jumps...loop, sals,axels

Other skater`s are more at ease with toe jumps...like toe loop, flip, lutz....

Hope this helps!

As for me I prefer toe jumps....

Yazmeen · Mar 5, 2004

If this helps, here are ISI test requirements and what levels the jumps fit in, starting with easiest:

Jump: Level:

Bunny hop: Delta (Basic skills)
Waltz jump: Freestyle (FS) 1
Half flip: FS 1
Ballet jump: FS 2
Half toe walley: FS 2
Half lutz: FS 2
Salchow: FS 3
Toe Loop/Toe Walley: FS 3
Flip: FS 4
Half Loop: FS 4
Loop: FS 4
Lutz: FS 5
Axel: FS 5
Split jump: FS 6
Double Salchow: FS 6
Double Toe: FS 7
Double Loop: FS 8
Split-Lutz jump: FS 8
Double Flip: FS 9
Double Lutz: FS 9
Double Axel: FS 10
Triple jumps: FS 10

Hope this helps!!!

mikhail1010 · Mar 13, 2004

I don't remember back to singles, but the easiest double to land is sawchow, but I think the easiest double to keep is toe or loop.

ouridol · Mar 15, 2004

Waltz jump is the easiest...your first "real" jump..

Should the bunny hop even be considered a jump?

The name is exactly what it is--a hop that looks as awkward as a bunny. The bunny hop is just a preperation for the Waltz, and the waltz is preperation for the axel.

gellio · Mar 31, 2004

On shoes the Axel is the easiest jump :laugh:

Seriously, I always do single Axels for my friends and they get a kick out of it. I'm trying to do doubles but I get way out of control in the air.

I ruined a pair of shoes once attempting a Lutz. Jabbed in the ground with my right toe, leaped into the air, stumbled, and realized I had torn the sole off the front of the shoe. Won't do that again.

I think a loop or Salchow would be impossible on shoes! :laugh:

AznHotBod · Apr 21, 2004

LOL

usually the easier jumps are salchow and toe, depending on whichever a skater prefer. Although nowadays, more skaters learn their triple lutzes and flips first. Ann Patrice says her salchow is her worst jump, and many could tell you, that Michelle's triple loop is her worst jump.

p.s. gellio, i also do shoe jumpings LOL, i can actually do all the doubles, except the axel..... LOL. (sometimes i could squeeze out a 2.5 toe loop LOL).

vaskula · Apr 22, 2004

Well, I'd say easiest is waltz jump, but when talking about the real ones, for me it's toe loop, I managed to do it on the 3rd attempt, but I'm still fighting a bit with salchow.

sarahmistral · Apr 27, 2004

Among jumps of the same type...

what makes a flip harder than a toe loop? And what makes a loop harder than a salchow? The lutz I understand the most b/c of the entry edge, but I'm curious about the other jumps that are similar in takeoff except for the particular leg, etc.

Sarah

dlkksk8fan · Apr 27, 2004

I think when it comes to the flip and toe loop it has a lot to due with the entry that makes it harder. Same as the Salchow and loop jumps. I know for myself it is easier to do the toe loop which takes off from a back right outside edge, with a left leg toe pick. The flip is a little harder to hold the left inside edge and pick with the right toe. The Salchow is easier because you have more momentum with the 3 turn while the loop takes some strength to jump off the right outside edge with no toe assist.

IceAngel2007 · May 13, 2004

Hey the hardest jump i can do is a half loop. so i guess im in fs. 4 im trying to do an axel but its scary. my first jump was a waltz

icenut84 · May 15, 2004

Re: Among jumps of the same type...

sarahmistral said:
what makes a flip harder than a toe loop? And what makes a loop harder than a salchow? The lutz I understand the most b/c of the entry edge, but I'm curious about the other jumps that are similar in takeoff except for the particular leg, etc.

The way I understand it:

A waltz is the easiest because it is only half a turn in the air.

The toe loop and salchow are next, because both involve jumping from one foot to the other, which is easier than jumping and landing on the same foot. I learnt the salchow first, but some people learn the toe loop first. There is also a similarity between them and the waltz jump, so it seems easier to learn them next. It seems to be quite interchangeable which is easiest (although I think a salchow is given slightly more inder COP).

The loop and flip are next, because both those jumps involve jumping and landing on the same foot, which is more difficult to learn than jumping off one foot and landing on the other. I think the loop is considered slightly easier, although personally I found the flip easier when I was learning them. As with the others, there's a similarity in the mechanics of the two jumps (after you pick in on the flip, you basically jump off that toe - the same foot as for a loop).

The lutz is next hardest because it winds up in one direction and then you jump in the opposite direction (or you're supposed to anyway, lol).

The axel is hardest because it's an extra half turn in the air (and a lot of people find the forward takeoff tricky).

However, especially when it gets to triples, the order of difficulty often isn't quite the same as the order in which a certain skater will find them difficult. Mostly I'd say it's the same, but several skaters find a more difficult jump easier than one of the easier ones. It's just preference.

Hope that helps

sarahmistral · May 15, 2004

Thank you, everyone...

for your great, helpful responses on this thread! Icenut84, I have a question about your excellent post; so the "jumping leg" is not necessarily the skating leg in a jump, it could be the one picking in to the ice on toe pick jumps? Because I always understood it to be that, say, on the flip, you jump off your *left* foot and land on your right BO edge, but I guess that, if the toe picking leg is considered the jumping leg, you are jumping and landing on the same foot. It does make a lot of sense, especially when I try some of these jumps off-ice (I'm nowhere near getting them on-ice...more like 20-30 pounds away

Don't want to destroy my knees--as it is, I feel like a great big whale when I try them off-ice

) I totally understand why the toe loop is considered the easiest by most, and then the sal, flip, loop, lutz, axel. So thanks for clearing that up

Cheers,

Sarah

icenut84 · May 15, 2004

Re: Thank you, everyone...

sarahmistral said:
Icenut84, I have a question about your excellent post; so the "jumping leg" is not necessarily the skating leg in a jump, it could be the one picking in to the ice on toe pick jumps? Because I always understood it to be that, say, on the flip, you jump off your *left* foot and land on your right BO edge, but I guess that, if the toe picking leg is considered the jumping leg, you are jumping and landing on the same foot.

Yup. In a toe jump, the last thing to leave the ice is the toe pick that picks in. So if you're rotating anti-clockwise (counter clockwise), for a flip, you pick in with the right foot - and the left foot comes off the ice slightly before the right toe does. The right toe is the launch, and what gives you the most power in the jump - that's why it's usually the case that people can do higher toe jumps than edge jumps.

Easiest Jump?

JonnyCoop

sk8er1964

dlkksk8fan

sk8er1964

Steve L

Yazmeen

mikhail1010

ouridol

gellio

AznHotBod

vaskula

sarahmistral

dlkksk8fan

IceAngel2007

icenut84

sarahmistral

icenut84

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