Nick Perna continues his axel lesson with Kayla. This is part 4 of this half-hour lesson. In the first part Nick focused on Kayla’s backspin. In the second part, Nick introduced a back entry method for waltz jump and axel to build consistency. In the third video, Nick added arm placement and movement to the axel entry. In this video, Nick offers a drill intended to prevent a “spinny” jump and help the skater make a fast weight transfer.
This drill is basically the time-honored waltz jump backspin drill. Note what aspects of the drill Nick is focused on. Kayla’s initial waltz jump backspin took too long to get into the d-position. As they continue to work on it, Nick also focuses on keeping the jump straight.
Editors note: I left all of Kayla’s attempts at mastering this drill in the video and did not edit anything out. Many coaches and skaters can learn from Kayla’s mistakes and Nick’s corrections.
Many coaches do not teach d-position for axel as the vast majority of skaters go from the take-off position to the landing h-position immediately. Kayla is a relatively athletic skater and does not need to get into a d-position to rotate the axel. However, the focus of this drill is still very beneficial as it helps the skater learn to control rotation, transfer the weight while keeping the hips closed, and straighten the landing leg quickly.
Stay tuned for the next part of this lesson…
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4 responses to “Axel Jump Lesson Part 4 – Waltz Jump Back Spin (Nick Perna)”
Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is a great video and helpful to see her errors and your guidance to correct them!
Love, love, love your drills for jumps!! So very helpful and relevant. Thank you so much for presenting. Can’t wait to try these.
Hi Nick! I never thought about 2 spins in an axel. I do love the drill! Can’t wait to try it with my skaters! 🙂
It was really helpful to see the trial and error with the skater! Thanks so much for sharing your insights Nick!