Irrational fear of axel

[BunniesSkate]

Hi! I'm having issues with my axel jump. Due to some miscommunication with my previous coaching team, I learned my axel with the wrong technique. Instead of kicking my knee up to transfer my weight onto my right leg, it tucks under and it looks more like a scratch spin rather than a backspin. In addition, I'm too focused on spinning the jump and getting the rotation instead of actually jumping off the ice. I've switched coaching teams, and all of my new coaches are trying to correct this. However, the wrong technique resulted in some hard falls in the past and I think it's stopping me from committing to the jump. My coaches and I are all frustrated with me. I landed the axel a few months back and I was landing it consistently, but I fell in the old way again and it's stopping me from wanting to try again. I landed my double salchow three days after the axel and I do those pretty easily now, and my double toe and double loop are close as well, so it's not a technical issue that's affecting all the jumps. It exists but it shouldn't be stopping the axel as much as it is. I'm just irrationally afraid of it. It feels harder and less certain despite it being half a rotation less than my other jumps. Does anyone have advice on getting over harder falls and actually getting off the ice? Thanks!

 

[Figuringitout]

I used to have a very 'spinny' axel too, although by the sounds of it mine was nowhere near as successful at being landed as yours. They did result in some nasty falls though!

I switched coaches, who immediately had me start from scratch with the axel again as my old coach had been letting me get away with bad technique. We went back to axel excerises (bell jumps, three jump-loop, three jump-backspin) and my coach banned me from trying axels. It was frustrating but in the end really helped. When I was finally given the all clear to try them again, technique was instantly better. I landed my axel a month later. Three months later it was consistent.

From my own personal experience, I would recommend this approach. It is frustrating going back to the start, but it is worth it and also helps with the mental block aspect. When I was attempting axels with my bad technique, I popped 90% of my attempts due to fear because of the bad falls. When I tried after I had only been doing the excerises for weeks, I only popped about 10%, and rarely had a bad fall. I even took my padding off, because I no longer got hurt from falling on an axel attempt.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Hi! I'm having issues with my axel jump. Due to some miscommunication with my previous coaching team, I learned my axel with the wrong technique. Instead of kicking my knee up to transfer my weight onto my right leg, it tucks under and it looks more like a scratch spin rather than a backspin. In addition, I'm too focused on spinning the jump and getting the rotation instead of actually jumping off the ice. I've switched coaching teams, and all of my new coaches are trying to correct this. However, the wrong technique resulted in some hard falls in the past and I think it's stopping me from committing to the jump. My coaches and I are all frustrated with me. I landed the axel a few months back and I was landing it consistently, but I fell in the old way again and it's stopping me from wanting to try again. I landed my double salchow three days after the axel and I do those pretty easily now, and my double toe and double loop are close as well, so it's not a technical issue that's affecting all the jumps. It exists but it shouldn't be stopping the axel as much as it is. I'm just irrationally afraid of it. It feels harder and less certain despite it being half a rotation less than my other jumps. Does anyone have advice on getting over harder falls and actually getting off the ice? Thanks!

Are your coaches able to use a harness to help you re-learn the jump technique and get a better feel for it?

 

[BunniesSkate]

Thanks for the help! I'll bring up restarting the technique when I go tomorrow. We do have harnesses. I'm on the track harness twice a week and the pole harness once a week, and we do off ice training and ballet. It feels like I have all the help and I'm holding it back.

 

[kolyadafan2002]

Hi! I'm having issues with my axel jump. Due to some miscommunication with my previous coaching team, I learned my axel with the wrong technique. Instead of kicking my knee up to transfer my weight onto my right leg, it tucks under and it looks more like a scratch spin rather than a backspin. In addition, I'm too focused on spinning the jump and getting the rotation instead of actually jumping off the ice. I've switched coaching teams, and all of my new coaches are trying to correct this. However, the wrong technique resulted in some hard falls in the past and I think it's stopping me from committing to the jump. My coaches and I are all frustrated with me. I landed the axel a few months back and I was landing it consistently, but I fell in the old way again and it's stopping me from wanting to try again. I landed my double salchow three days after the axel and I do those pretty easily now, and my double toe and double loop are close as well, so it's not a technical issue that's affecting all the jumps. It exists but it shouldn't be stopping the axel as much as it is. I'm just irrationally afraid of it. It feels harder and less certain despite it being half a rotation less than my other jumps. Does anyone have advice on getting over harder falls and actually getting off the ice? Thanks!

Is it a bit like the julia lipnitskia no kick axel, or is it a different issue? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9IlxgcJL8Y&t=100s

 

[BunniesSkate]

Is it a bit like the julia lipnitskia no kick axel, or is it a different issue? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9IlxgcJL8Y&t=100s

Wow just like that! Except I mostly pop it instead of landing it nicely . My coaches used to say that not kicking would stop me from landing it but it's at the point where they're taking it back and saying that I can land it if I believe in myself.

 

[gliese]

Your issue is complicated. Listen to your coaches. Jump issues like this are normal and most of the can't be fixed by strangers on an internet forum.