Axel Jump Slow Motion Details (Trevor Laak)

Trevor Laak responds to an email sent by a coach with questions about the recent survey of iCoachSkating.com subscribers on the details at the moment of take-off for the axel, salchow, and toe loop jumps. Here is the email and associated images:

Hi Trevor,

Are you saying that this picture (below) is a correct single axel takeoff? Or are you saying it’s a correct double axel takeoff? I recall that the survey offered this picture as one of the choices for a single and double axel, so I chose the picture with the “h” position to apply for both jumps, because I would not teach this position for a single axel. Perhaps the survey should have offered pictures differentiating between single and double axel takeoffs.

I use video analysis and I must say that I see that the “h” position is very good for axels, if you want them to go up that is! For the double axel, I think that the “h” position that was learned to achieve the single axel does change somewhat.

My own experience with axels is that there are two schools of thought. One is that the takeoff should swing around and the other is that the takeoff should go up. I am one of those who teaches that axels should go up and I stand by the video evidence and judges’ marks that the “h” position creates a beautiful, high single axel.

Any comments?

Image presented for single or double axel take-off in survey (click to enlarge):

In the response video below, Trevor shares examples of single and double axels from 4 different skaters. The points that Trevor makes in the video are:

1. Good axels and double axels do not leave the ice with the skater in a traditional “h” position.

2. There does not have to be a significant difference between jump technique for single or double axels. Therefore, a single axel should be taught with the technique needed to perform the double.

3. An “h” position is not required for a high axel jump.

4. An “h” position is not required to prevent pre-rotation, swinging around, or spinning through an axel take-off.

See the video evidence and decide for yourself. There will be more videos in this series discussing the axel take-off.