In this short figure skating video, World and Olympic coach Robert Tebby shares an excellent warm-up drill for jumping. The drill is a series of 4 twizzles, performed in a “box” pattern. Each twizzle rotates in the skaters jump rotation direction and makes up one side of the box. The first twizzle is the forward outside, with the free foot held behind, opening with a stretch on the inside edge. The second is the back outside twizzle with the free foot in front. The skater simply pushes directly into it with the non-axis foot. After the second twizzle, the skater opens into the standard landing position. The skater then steps forward (in the rotational direction) for another forward inside twizzle with the free foot back before completing the box with yet another back outside twizzle, this time with the free foot behind. After a short pause to work through the dizziness, the skater can then repeat the sequence.
Robert notes that the twizzles should be performed in the middle of the blade without rocking forward or backward. Arms for this drill are in the skater’s jump air position (crossed, seatbelt, or “w”). The upper body should be twisted against the rotation. For those with the free foot behind, Robert wants the skater to keep the knees together and the free foot well behind and relatively high. He notes this is similar to the initial rotation position in a typical double axel. The drill is most effective with fast twizzles, and skaters who really get value from this drill often fall down as they perfect it. Robert says, “It should test your sense of balance and awareness. And if it feels like it’s pretty easy, then you’re not doing it fast enough and you’re not being structured strong enough (proper upper body position).”
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