International coach and jump specialist Nick Perna begins a series of videos covering new insights and exercises for the lutz jump. He begins by acknowledging the added importance today of having the correct take-off edge on lutz in IJS competitions, and he introduces us to his “Pigeon Toe Walk” exercise. To better understand this video, please watch Nick’s previous foundational videos on the lutz here:
Introduction to the Lutz
Fixing a Flutz
Lutz Jump Setups
Lutz Prints and Theory
Lutz Drills and Insights
Before describing the Pigeon Toe Walk, Nick explains that he continues to use the Toe Flick Drill he covered in his original lutz series (videos listed above). In those foundational videos, Nick emphasized that the body needs to be forward and remain forward. He describes that again here, saying “A lot of the lutz problems happen when a skater is forward (body lean) and starts shifting back (leaning back with upper body).” He explains further, “It’s very hard to stay on an outside edge when you’re leaning back.”
The Pigeon Toe Walk begins with the skater standing on the ice in a strong toe-in position (pigeon toe) on the outside edges, then walking forward on the outside of the bottom toe picks, maintaining the toe-in position throughout. Once a skater gets comfortable with that initial part of the exercise, Nick has them do the exercise moving in a regular lutz entry. The full drill is Nick’s standard lutz edge cut and toe flick with a strong forward body lean (but without rotation), followed by the pigeon toe walk back in the opposite direction. Thus, the exercise starts with the skater moving backwards until the cut and toe plant and flick, and then stopping and moving forward in the pigeon toe away from the original jump direction. This exercise prevents the skater from “pulling” back and keeps the skater’s upper body forward because the body has to be forward to do the pigeon toe walk.
Nick explains why the body needs to remain forward for the lutz (and for all backward entry jumps). To create maximum lift when jumping, a skater needs to have a significant “power angle” where the skater’s center of mass remains behind the take-off point so the skater can “vault” up into the air, thereby using the entry speed to help generate lift (rather than just sheer jumping power of the legs). This requires driving the hips up and forward with the upper body set back (in the forward take-off position).
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