Figure Skating Jumps: On-Ice Air Turns

Figure Skating Jumps: On-Ice Air Turns – Part 2 (Nick Perna)

The figure skating video below is the second in a series of videos covering on-ice air turns with Nick Perna. In part 1 Nick taught several air turn drills down a line to help skaters move jumps across the ice while jumping and remaining in control with the upper body.

Nick begins this video by showing how to help a skater control the upper body for air turn landings. He holds the skater’s left arm in front of them (for skaters that rotate to the left) while jumping from backward half turns. This is a great way to help a skater feel the correct upper body position while rotating a jump in the air. He also does this drill with full turn air turns. Notice how twisted against the rotation the skaters shoulders are on the full turn version of this drill. This is a very powerful jump concept in a simple drill.

He then progresses to alternating half and full jump turns down the line focusing on keeping the left arm in front. This is the skaters’ first exposure to both forward and backward full air turns in these drills. While the skaters do this exercise, Nick corrects errors made by the skaters in the group. The most common error is the left arm continuing around and not remaining in front or “across the body” at landings. Another error by one of the skaters is overarching the back and neck and Nick shares tips to help with this problem.

The final exercise is a 1 ½ turn air turn taking off forward and landing backwards. As Nick states in this video, this is a great exercise to have skaters master before teaching an axel. Once the skater is comfortable jumping and rotating from forward to backward with more than a full turn in the air, the axel will not be as intimidating.