Exactly how is ballet helpful for skating jumps | Golden Skate

Exactly how is ballet helpful for skating jumps

gourry

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
I have a question! ...hopefully not stupid.
Is ballet helpful for skating?

Okay, of course it is, I know. It helps with lines, turnout, toe-pointing, etc. I know. But I read over-turnout actually hinders certain elements like camel spins or jumps.
Toe pointing is pretty, but I don't see it helps jumps. Maybe I'm wrong but I think ballerinas do more of split jumps than rotating jumps like skaters. (I know ballerinos do.)
So I guess my real question is, is ballet helpful for figure skating jumps especially for ladies?
Are there other sports that would benefit jumps? How about martial arts?
 

Layback11

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
I have a question! ...hopefully not stupid.
Is ballet helpful for skating?

Okay, of course it is, I know. It helps with lines, turnout, toe-pointing, etc. I know. But I read over-turnout actually hinders certain elements like camel spins or jumps.
Toe pointing is pretty, but I don't see it helps jumps. Maybe I'm wrong but I think ballerinas do more of split jumps than rotating jumps like skaters. (I know ballerinos do.)
So I guess my real question is, is ballet helpful for figure skating jumps especially for ladies?
Are there other sports that would benefit jumps? How about martial arts?

Not a stupid question at all!

Well, for one thing, it helps with lower-body strength, and that's absolutely critical for jumping. For another, posture is very important in all areas of skating, and ballet helps a lot with that (I started ballet to improve my posture and lines, and it worked!). And any jumping-even non-rotational jumps-helps you develop the muscles you need to get better height.

As for sports that help with jumps, I'd guess:

1) High jump, because of the sheer height you need to jump to-it'd get your jumps really big.

2) Track & field, mostly hurdles-for the same reason as high jump.

Lastly, 3) Gymnastics, because of the incredible lower-body strength you have to have to do it.
 

nieves

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 2, 2014
I think toe pointing certainly helps with jumps- that's how skaters can vault so high up into the air (among other things). I remember when I was learning jumps my coach told me I wasn't rolling up into my toe before I left the the ice and thus couldn't make the rotation as easily. Also you land jumps on the toe and roll down, not on a flat blade.
 

mrrice

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
Not a stupid question at all!

Well, for one thing, it helps with lower-body strength, and that's absolutely critical for jumping. For another, posture is very important in all areas of skating, and ballet helps a lot with that (I started ballet to improve my posture and lines, and it worked!). And any jumping-even non-rotational jumps-helps you develop the muscles you need to get better height.

As for sports that help with jumps, I'd guess:

1) High jump, because of the sheer height you need to jump to-it'd get your jumps really big.

2) Track & field, mostly hurdles-for the same reason as high jump.

Lastly, 3) Gymnastics, because of the incredible lower-body strength you have to have to do it.

Get it layback.:cheer: Correct on all counts!! I'd also add that Ballet training not only makes you strong, it makes you flexible. This is key if you hope to stay free of muscles tears, sprains, and fractures. One of the worst injuries I've ever had is a "torn hip flexor." Forget dancing or skating. You can barely even walk up a flight of stairs without groaning in pain the entire time.

The worst part......You can walk around on flat surfaces with almost no trouble at all. Leading to...... "He's faking it!" Very irritating.:mad:
 

HazyD

Rinkside
Joined
Jul 14, 2013
I danced for 12 years when I was growing up, starting at age five. I started skating when I was well into adulthood! It likely will be different for someone who skates first then dances, but my ballet background has both helped and hurt my skating. The biggest advantage was body awareness, just knowing how to move which parts to get a desired result. And, of course, flexibility, grace, expression and musicality are a couple of big advantages that come from ballet. The disadvantages, I've found, hit me mostly with turnout -- I am hard-wired to be very open with my body and have to fight continually to keep myself square over turns, etc -- and always wanting to be on point, that is, on the ball of my foot, which can pitch me forward and rob me of some of the power that comes with using all of my foot. With regard to jumping, same thing -- a help and a hindrance. I came to skating as a good ballet jumper, but the mechanics of jumping off the ice and off the floor are different enough that my ballet brain can definitely get in the way.
What it all comes down to is, definitely take some ballet if you can, but try to find a class and/or teacher that is mindful of the big differences between skating and ballet and won't lead you down a path that will actually introduce problems.
 

mrrice

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
HazyD..........By far the biggest problem I had with skating was with turnout. That, and hip placement. In Ballet, you're always taught to keep your hip down when turning and to keep your hips square when leaping. At least in Jazz we did some turns that did not call for turn out but, in Ballet, that almost never happens. I found the biggest advantage I had over the other beginners was my ability to take and understand direction. It may sound trite but, skating coaches appreciate a student who pays attention and applies the fundamentals they been given.

You learn how to learn in Ballet and that's a valuable tool. I hope that made sense.;)
 
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