Axel Jump Preparation – Part 2 (Joan Orvis)

Joan Orvis continues her explanation of how she introduces the axel jump. Joan uses a common drill that is known by many names such as half-axel, once-around, and bell-jump. Notice the details of how Joan teaches this pre-axel drill. She wants the skater to initially land on their regular jump landing foot (Joan’s right foot). This is different than many coaches who have their skaters land on two feet.

As Joan describes, this forward to forward jump drill teaches the skater the down up jumping movement, the initiation of rotation on the forward outside take-off edge, and the quickness needed to get the free foot up and then down for landing. Joan notes, “That’s the hardest thing for kids to get is to feel rotating around that right (landing side) hip.” Joan does a great “wrong” demo showing what happens if the free foot comes around.

After they’ve mastered this, Joan adds a backspin to the drill. Notice that this drill is similar to the popular waltz-jump backspin drill but Joan actually has more rotation on the first jump than a waltz jump. On top of that, she lands with the feet already crossed as she gets into the backspin.

Joan doesn’t want the skater to kick their free foot through too far or they won’t be able to get on top of it for landing. She recommends having skaters feel like they are using an ‘h-position’ with the free foot below the free knee.

Joan briefly comments and demonstrates the critical aspects of the take-off edge. She explains it as “bend, feel the ankle drop into the circle on the outside edge, initiate the rotation, and then push down and rotate.”

Near the end of the video, Joan clarifies the amount of rotation for a waltz jump. Because of the deepening of the take-off edge prior to lift off as well as a slight pivot on the toe pick prior to lift off, the waltz jump does not rotate a full half turn in the air. But Joan notes, that skaters just learning a waltz jump don’t need to know that much detail and can consider the jump simply going from forward to backward. (On the other hand, it’s very important that coaches know these details!)

Joan then notes that a true axel take-off has a deepening edge and a slight pivot on the toe pick such that the take-off is slightly sideways. She also confirms that all jumps tend to pivot on the toe pick a little prior to lift-off.