Figure Skating: Loop Jump Video (Michelle Leigh)

Olympic coach Michelle Leigh provides a thorough explanation of how she teaches the loop jump.  This an excellent video with tons of very important information.

Michelle initially introduces the loop jump using the forward inside three turn because it’s simple for the skater and even skaters at a very low level can do it.  Michelle notes that one of the most important aspects of a proper loop jump needs to be taught right from the beginning.  The free leg should not just be in front after the turn, but it “should be across before you do any jumping.”

Michelle notes, “On a loop jump it’s so important to have your foot inside the circle so that you can push up on that side of the leg.”  She wants the free leg bent so it stays inside the circle.  She notes that a straight free leg will generally get pushed outside the circle and throw off the alignment of the jump.  She also notes that it’s important not to pull the free knee off to the side as that opens the hips and again throws off the alignment.  The free hip should remain closed.

Editor’s note:  This is probably the number one most common error on the loop jump and it prevents many skaters from ever getting a double or triple loop.  It is natural for the body to pull sideways on the foot and free leg to help create rotation, but this creates so many other problems that it should be addressed immediately at the lowest levels.  Michelle makes it clear the free foot should remain inside the circle AT ALL TIMES and the hips should remain closed!

Next, Michelle has the skater get used to lifting the free foot up and pressing up to the toe pick of the skating foot.  Michelle wants the skater to lift the free knee, keeping the free foot very close to the skating leg (and keeping it across).

As with all jump development, Michelle has her skaters learn at the boards so they can use the glass to develop the proper head position and movement.  Using the inside three turn helps the skater generate enough rotational energy for the jump.  Looking in the glass (and having the face facing the glass as long as possible) assures proper head position.

It’s very important to get skaters to understand just how much curve is necessary to do the jump.  “So often the skater doesn’t understand that the curve helps initiate the jump and they just kind of skate straight after [the three turn] and they can’t get rotation.”

Next Michelle focuses on the proper motion of the arms.  Notice that the arms drop down close to the body and do not swing around.  Michelle says, “We want to develop the motion of the arms so that the skater understands they want to come down under the jump to assist them in pushing up.”  The arms come down low and then push up.  “We’re curving and we’re getting under the jump.”

Michelle briefly mentions the hands in front of the body “into that airplane position like they’re holding on to a wheel.”  This concept was covered by Michelle in an earlier video here at iCoachSkating.com and is a very powerful teaching concept.  If you have skaters that swing their arms around, use this concept to help them get control and get under the jump.

Although Michelle does not mention it, watch her demonstrate a loop jump.  The jump takes off forward and only rotates a half turn or less in the air.

When the skater is ready to add speed and they’re ready to learn the backward entrance to the jump, Michelle again teaches it at the boards.  She uses the idea of a “cross-cut” or cross-over to get the feet to cross properly before the jump.  “The motion of the cross-cut is very similar to the motion of the loop jump.”

This is another fantastic and thorough explanation from Michelle.  It may seem straightforward, but the information in this video is largely unknown to the average skating coach.  This is evident in the wide variety of free leg, arm, and head positions and movements you’ll see in lower level skaters.  If all skaters learned the jump as Michelle teaches it, they would have a much greater chance of moving to the next level.  The information Michelle offers is easily confirmed by watching video of the best triple loops that require the most efficiency.  We’re very lucky to have an Olympic coach like Michelle presenting on the website.  Please leave a comment for Michelle below and rate the video.

This may be one of the top 5 most important videos on iCoachSkating.com!

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