International coach and jump specialist Chris Conte works with a skater to improve a single loop jump. Once a skater learns the basics of the jump, it is necessary to reduce scratching, increase entry speed and jump flow, and improve jump height. Chris begins this lesson by drawing the desired pattern with a marker on the ice and them demonstrating what he wants the skater to do. Notice the straight entry into the jump, and the emphasis of creating a quick jump.
To address how this skater balances too far forward on the blade for the hook and pivot of the jump (“scratchy”), Chris talks about learning to back off the toe pick. He does an exercise at the wall (that we can’t see) where the skater can practice “flexing the foot just a little” to keep the toe pick from touching the ice. [This exercise starts with the feet facing the boards and then turns the take-off foot parallel to the boards, automatically crossing the feet in the process.] To explain the process of the take-off edge, Chris discusses both the back outside three turn and an analogy to “grandma in her rocking chair.” As a summary of the process he says, “As you start your loop just feel like you rock back on your blade” from the ankle.
Next, Chris wants more speed and jump height, so he offers the analogy of music volume, indicating a fairly minor change to the volume of the jump. With the additional effort, the skater again rocks forward to the toe pick creating a scratchy jump. When corrected in the final jump, the improved take-off creates a faster entry, smooth take-off, higher jump, and more flow on the landing in the desired direction.
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