Figure skating coach Sheila Thelen shares some great reminders and tips regarding figure skating jumps. Sheila does a large number of seminars and workshops throughout the US each year. And she has some observations regarding common issues she sees.
First, Sheila addresses the need for proper head control when jumping. Whether a skater anchors the head in space or locks it in a neutral position to the rotating shoulders, the head is critical to good jumping. Sheila shows her now-famous “bite-the-coat” exercise, which is one of the most effective techniques for dealing with head-turners.
Second, Sheila emphasizes the need to use the hips and core to generate rotation for a jump. She says, “Your butt leads in a jump.” Her point is to avoid having the shoulders and head lead the jump rotationally. Although we regularly see elite skaters create huge rotational forces with their shoulders, particularly on triple flip and triple lutz jumps, most skaters cannot easily control jumps having pre-rotation of the shoulders. Her discussion of the “side of life” and the “side of death” are exaggerations that help skaters understand the importance of these concepts.
Finally, Sheila talks about issues she sees in terms of air position and awareness. Too many skaters don’t engage their muscles properly while in the air. And a huge percentage of skaters simply go mentally blank while rotating, an issue Sheila has elsewhere dubbed “blackout syndrome or blackout disease.” She highlights the importance of teaching and learning the flox position, with the landing foot flexed and the landing leg locked in the air (flex and lock = flox). Sheila reminds us that a good air position has “active muscles” that are properly engaged.
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