International coach and jump specialist Jeremy Allen describes in detail what happens during a jump landing and shares drills to help skaters land correctly. He starts by explaining that skaters need to have forward body lean when landing their jumps (away from the landing direction) and not be vertical at landing. Jeremy briefly talks about the “eagle position” or the “stick position” which represents the natural response skaters have when impacting the ice after a multi-revolution jump. Jeremy explains this as “establishing your balance over your right (axis) side.” This position typically has the upper body twisted against the rotation and the free foot crossed over and behind the axis/landing foot. He demonstrates this position and two common variations.
Jeremy explains that after the eagle position, a skater typically “squares off” the shoulders and the hips, with BOTH arms forward and in front of the skater and the free let straight and in front as well. He describes this as “almost a gymnastics landing.” He notes that the axis arm is not pulling back throughout the entire landing and the non-axis arm is not kept in front into the final landing position as is so often taught. He likes the head over the axis arm in the final landing position.
To help find the correct balance, Jeremy has skaters glide backward on two feet with arms overhead, then jump and land and drop into the “classic gymnastics landing” on two feet which is sort of a basic mini-dip. To increase the difficulty of the drill and make it more realistic, Jeremy then has skaters do the same drill but land on one foot in “a back sit position.” The key here is to “establish the weight forward” over the knee. Notice how forward the demonstrator’s body is on these drills to get the correct balance.
The next drill is landing a multi-revolution jump and landing in a moving back sit spin to find the balance over the knee. Jeremy explains that skaters will have a variety of possible positions with the body forward, and these positions are largely due to body type, shape and dimensions.
Sorry, this content is for members only.Click here to get access.
Already a member? Login below… |
Add to "My Favorites" (Beta testing)
