World and Olympic coach Audrey Weisiger covers a variety of topics related to blade control and usage, with an emphasis on toe hops and some discussion of the toe loop jump. This video is a continuation of Audrey’s discussion of split jumps, mazurkas, and ballet jumps. Audrey begins here with a discussion of toe hops, and she touches on a variety of toe hop drills (half toe walley, side skipping, etc). She demonstrates these and briefly discusses the mechanics of a toe hop. She also discusses the difference between toe hops and the more formal mazurka or ballet jump.
Audrey likes to use a toe hop drill as a tool for teaching the toe loop. She explains the drill and explains why it works to keep the skater moving through toward the target while also teaching the skater to lock out the landing leg in the air. She also offers a great toe loop walk-through drill.
Audrey says, “One of the most important things you can do with your skaters is to get them comfortable on their blades.” She notes that she teaches a series of exercises she calls Blade Work, Body Work, and Brain Work. Blade work is particularly important now that skaters rarely have any exposure to school figures. She recommends exercises that develop the small controlling muscles in the feet and ankles. She also talks about stops and how important they are for the development of some jumps (front tango stop for axel development). Ultimately Audrey recommends developing fundamental control of the blades and toe picks in order to eventually master the big tricks.
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