World and Olympic coach Robert Tebby shares some thoughts and comments regarding loop jump development, and how there are important differences between how men typically execute the jump successfully compared to how ladies do it. These concepts are useful even during single and double loop development since the concepts then carry over to triple/quad development.
Due to body differences as a skater matures (hip width, core strength, etc), Robert explains that ladies typically need to be more efficient than men on triple loop take-offs. When teaching girls, he goes with a “less-is-more” approach that limits core and shoulder twist and focuses on initiation of the jump with a deepening of the edge. He says, “You establish that your body leans in a little bit with the edge, and then we let the right (axis) arm start to come through. And specifically with females I find that we get much faster rotational momentum off the take-off using that sort of less-is-more.” In his walk-through demonstrations, notice how the slight lean into the circle becomes the power angle or backward body lean at the moment of take-off. He explains this position from the exercise, “You want to feel like your head is still in line with your right (axis) elbow, your letter h – the knee is up with the hip slightly open.” He also wants “belly button up” which creates the hip drive and vaulting at take-off which is another description of the desired power angle. He encourages “head over the right side on landing” as a way to help control landing rotational energy and maintain proper balance and alignment as well.
Then, Robert describes how many/most men perform a triple loop, with more of a wind-up in shoulders and a strong and quick rip of the take-off edge. He says, “The guys, because of the narrower hips and generally a little bit more core strength, they can do just a simple press under, almost like a push under like a cross, and immediately release the right shoulder through.” He continues about the men, “Because of the narrowness of the hips, they are able to accelerate through the take-off very quickly. It’s a lot easier for the guys.” He then notes that a typically female triple loop is technically superior to a male triple loop because they have to be better (due to physical limitations).
When moving from triples to quad loop Robert says, “We want the speed and technique to do the take-off of the jump, and the skater’s energy should be in the air position and the landing.” For a typical quad, the entry speed will be higher and “the timing of the take-off should be relatively smooth.” Thus, the less-is-more approach is a great way to create a quad, even for the guys who can easily “muscle out a triple.” He says, “On a quad we need a little more finesse” and he cautions against muscling the take-off which usually results in an “off balance jump.”
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