Skating Tips – Core Strength For Jump Landings (Michelle Leigh)

Olympic coach Michelle Leigh discusses core strength as it relates to air position for multi-rotation jumps.

At the beginning of this video, Michelle suggests using “a really slow double loop” as an exercise to help skaters get used to the strength and position required to land double axels and triples.  It forces them to be efficient and strong.  Most skaters working on double axels and triples already jump high enough that they have plenty of time to check out of their other doubles.  Triples are different as skaters need to keep rotating all the way down to the ice and they need added strength and quickness to successfully exit.

Michelle also demonstrates a great 2 person exercise to help skaters develop the proper strength.  This exercise really works and weak skaters will not be able to do it correctly.  Do this drill, even for doubles as it will build core and upper body strength in rotation.  Michelle demonstrates this drill by breaking out of rotation at the end, but the drill is even more effective if you stay in rotation and keep trying to pull in so the forces continue to build, or at least don’t fade away.

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