Loop Jump – Single Loop Through Triple Loop (Page Lipe)

Page Lipe explains how she introduces and develops the loop jump all the way through triples. She notes that when they’re ready it’s common for skaters at her rink to simply try a single loop jump and usually the jump is basically correct. For those skaters than need more explanation and skill building, Page initially focuses on helping the skater learn to pivot forward for the take-off. To address this, she takes the skater to the wall and teaches the pivot motion. Notice the pivot to forward happens BEFORE the skater leaves the ice. In fact, Page teaches it at the wall as pivoting to forward before coming out of the skating knee.

Page says, “They’re not supposed to come out of their knee until they’re forward. I explain to them that you’re going to take off forward so really you’re just doing a half revolution [in the air].” Unfortunately, there still seems to be a great deal of confusion among coaches regarding the loop jump which is often referred to as a “full revolution” jump. It clearly is not.

Page addresses the more precise placement of the free foot on doubles and triples. Notice as Page demonstrates the free leg movement that the free foot stays close to the skating leg as it comes up during the jumping movement and then pushes straight down to get to the proper air position with ankles touching. She mentions in passing that the skater needs to keep the free hip up (very important) and stay aligned over the skating side (also very important). But Page again addresses the common issue of “jumping too soon” or coming up out of the knee before pivoting forward.

Page then says, “I stand with them and if they’re starting to come up out of their knee too soon, we work on it until they stay down. And especially when you’re working on a triple loop, I try to tell them that they’re going to feel like they’re doing a whole rotation on the ice before they jump, which you don’t but that helps you stay down on your knee.” This tip is priceless and is very effective for doubles also, particularly for skaters that have not learned to pivot before jumping on the single (lots of skaters).

Next, Page discusses when the free hip is likely to drop and the exercises she uses to correct it. Watch the video carefully and see how Page isolates the movement of the free leg to prevent the hip from dropping. Next Page addresses the need to keep the feet crossed as the skater pivots to forward. She describes it as the skating thigh “rotates under” the free thigh. Watch the demonstration to see what she means. This is a particularly insightful description and essentially all triple loops are performed this way.

As a skater becomes more advanced, Page uses an entrance she calls the “treble clef entrance” which references the musical notation. Page draws the pattern on the ice and explains in detail how to use it. At this stage she becomes more demanding regarding the details of the jump. Near the end of the video she discusses the bend and re-bend.

Page also uses video a lot. She says, “I video tape a lot because they need that immediate reward or immediate punishment of ‘wow that was bad.’ And they can see it rather than just trying to feel it.” Page observes that most skaters become more and more motivated to correct and improve their technique as they work through the double and start the triple.

This is an outstanding and thorough discussion of the loop. Please leave Page a comment.