International coach and jump specialist Nick Perna continues a series of videos covering new insights and exercises for the lutz jump. In Part 1, Nick shared the Pigeon Toe Walk exercise to maintain the body in the correct position to keep the skater near the front of the blade to help ensure a true outside edge. In this video Nick shares another exercise for ensuring an outside edge take-off for the lutz by having the skater jump toward the non-axis side.
NOTE: 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
Nick explains, “What happens a lot of times on lutz is skaters will start on an outside edge and by the time they’re getting ready to jump they’ve already shifted over to the right (axis side), and then it becomes more like a loop or flip where they’re really over the right (axis) side. On a lutz it really has to travel more off to the left (non-axis side).” To prevent skaters from shifting back to the axis side, Nick teaches an exercise without rotation where the skater glides backwards on the non-axis foot on an outside edge and puts the toe pick in (axis side) and jumps laterally sideways into the circle (toward the non-axis side). Nick says, “What’s neat about this is you can’t do it wrong.” He explains that if you’re on an outside edge but switch to an inside edge with the axis foot, you simply cannot jump into the circle properly.
Nick demonstrates this on the hockey circle, and he notes he is simply gliding on one foot on an outside edge and not creating the active outside edge that is necessary for a good lutz. He says, “You’re going to start jumping as the toe goes in” although he really means the jump has already started (lifting from the loaded ankle and knee) by the time the picking toe touches the ice. Nick explains, “It’s a very simple drill. It takes students a little while to get the hang of it because they tend to just jump straight up and down” rather than laterally into the circle.
Once a skater gets good at this simple drill, Nick includes the basic “toe flick drill” he uses as part of his basic lutz development. For this the skater simply drags the bottom tooth of the toe pick of the non-axis foot slightly to the side in the non-axis direction, creating a tiny “flick.” This helps skaters get the “feeling of the little flick” and it keeps their weight forward on the blade as desired.
To ensure skaters do this exercise correctly, Nick skates right next to the skater on the outside of the circle (axis side) so the skater has to jump towards the non-axis side. He demonstrates the exercise coming directly toward the camera so we can see more clearly what is happening. Nick also sometimes does the exercise on two feet (keeping them close together) and simply jumps into the circle sideways and continues gliding. He says, “It’s just getting that feeling of launching sideways which is difficult for some people.”
Sorry, this content is for members only.Click here to get access.
Already a member? Login below… |
Add to "My Favorites" (Beta testing)
