I've been practicing my jumps off-ice lately, and I'm frustratingly trying to do more than one rotation, it's just a bit difficult. Is it possible? And what do I need to do to improve my jumps and do at least a double rotation off-ice? What did it take for you to achieve that?
How to do more than one rotation off-ice?
- Thread starter Xstatic
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2010
First thing is that you have to be able to jump high or powerful enough to have the time in the air to do the rotations. After that, it's a matter of tightening in the body and not opening back up until ready to land. If you open up too fast you lose rotation.
When I try to get rotation jumping off the floor, I find myself having to use force from my arms and shoulders, as in "swinging" myself into the rotation. But jumping on the ice does not requiring doing it, and doing it pre-rotates jumps and causes loss of momentum, thereby taking away the time that is needed to rotate in the air at the correct time.
Are you currently able to do axels?
When I try to get rotation jumping off the floor, I find myself having to use force from my arms and shoulders, as in "swinging" myself into the rotation. But jumping on the ice does not requiring doing it, and doing it pre-rotates jumps and causes loss of momentum, thereby taking away the time that is needed to rotate in the air at the correct time.
Are you currently able to do axels?
Last edited:
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2012
I think it's a matter of experience; how do you do them? The technique is a bit different when you do them off-ice, you can't do the same movements you do when you have your skates on, especially for flip and lutz. It also helps doing them many times and training your balance and your body, jumps depend also on your body feelings... And, are you in a good physical shape? You need energy in your muscles if you want to do two or more rotations in the air!
I've been going to the Gym and doing off-ice work outs with my figure skating coach for around 3 weeks now. 
I'm still new to figure skating. I would love to hear about your experiences with how you got to improve your jumps and do more than one rotation, I mean did it take a lot of work? What kind of work outs you had to do?
I'm still new to figure skating. I would love to hear about your experiences with how you got to improve your jumps and do more than one rotation, I mean did it take a lot of work? What kind of work outs you had to do?
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2012
Frankly? It came almost naturalI've been going to the Gym and doing off-ice work outs with my figure skating coach for around 3 weeks now.
After doing axels, I've tried 2T and 2S and it was easy to do two rotations, I didn't have to do any specific exercise so I think I can't help you a lot...
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2007
Try this series of jump exercises.
1. Straight up and down, feet in a jazz second. Then jump up and land with your feet in a jazz first. You can also jump up and land in your landing position
2. Straight up, again with your feet in 2nd, but this time twist your hips in your direction of rotation. Keep your upper body still
3. Building from the previous exercise, jump up and try half rotations, initiating from the hip always. You should be landing with your feet apart and rotating in the air with your feet apart. Try not to initiate the rotation until you're in the air
4. Continue building up the rotations by half as you can. Once you reach a full rotation you can have an open air position or the backspin position, although I'd recommend and open position until you get the hang of it. The important thing to remember is that it's the hips that are causing the rotation, not the muscling of the upper body
If you're doing off ice jumps to improve your on ice jumps then try not to use your upper body to torque the rotation as that will hurt your jumps on ice. There isn't a direct correlation to the number of rotations you can do on and off ice. I can do several doubles easily, but have never managed more than 1 1/2 rotations off ice.
1. Straight up and down, feet in a jazz second. Then jump up and land with your feet in a jazz first. You can also jump up and land in your landing position
2. Straight up, again with your feet in 2nd, but this time twist your hips in your direction of rotation. Keep your upper body still
3. Building from the previous exercise, jump up and try half rotations, initiating from the hip always. You should be landing with your feet apart and rotating in the air with your feet apart. Try not to initiate the rotation until you're in the air
4. Continue building up the rotations by half as you can. Once you reach a full rotation you can have an open air position or the backspin position, although I'd recommend and open position until you get the hang of it. The important thing to remember is that it's the hips that are causing the rotation, not the muscling of the upper body
If you're doing off ice jumps to improve your on ice jumps then try not to use your upper body to torque the rotation as that will hurt your jumps on ice. There isn't a direct correlation to the number of rotations you can do on and off ice. I can do several doubles easily, but have never managed more than 1 1/2 rotations off ice.
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2007
It's a combination of the speed, but also the ability to use the edge and toe pick which is nonexistent off the ice.
