Coaching Figure Skating Jumping

As an Olympic favorite, figure skating should be 100% cutting edge on techniques and theory. Unfortunately, many coaches are not keeping up with the times and learning the newest figure skating mechanics to the detriment of their students One of the most difficult of the skating routines are the jumps. There is a lot of off ice and on ice preparation to complete a perfect jump. Unfortunately, it is often difficult to get a coach who really knows how to coach jumping properly. As a matter of fact, many coaches totally disagree on the fundamental mechanics of skating jumps.

A lot of figure skating coaching is passed on from older coach to younger coach and the to the skater. There is not very much written about jumping, and the books that are out there often disagree with each other! There is a problem getting the written word into a physical form also. So we know that most coaches teach very much the same methods and techniques that their coach had taught them when they were growing up and first learning. Unfortunately, in today's uber-elite-athletic world, figure skating seems to be caught up in the past and does not seem to be going forward in North America. New knowledge and techniques are out there, but still, old outdated teachings are still the norm at the regular skating arena.

The problem is not only the coaches fault though, it is the rules themselves that are confusing. They are out dated and vague, and more a hindrance than a help in most cases. Most coaches agree with this, but often it is too felt too hard to break the past history of figure skating instruction if one has been coaching the same way for 20 years.

When you go to the arena and watch a coach, most often they will not be using the newly developed jump mechanics developed by elite coaches for their skaters. The sad thing is, that some of these techniques are really not even that new, some of these mechanics have actually been used for decades. The elite coaches only now are allowing these techniques to become public, and so they are now becoming available for all figure skating coaches to learn from, if they so choose. Often they do not choose. Instead, the same old routines that they used as a child will be brought out and used again and again. It is really a shame that this continues to happen. The worst thing is, that it will continue to happen again and again until something is done about it.

Many coaches are thinking that without a common fundamental starting point, the confusion and lack of focus within figure skating will continue. What is needed is to get the coaches to agree what the basics are, or at least that would be a good start. In most other sports, there is a consistently improvement in teaching methods, but not so in figure skating. There is no consistent teaching of techniques in our sport. Coupled with the fact that the actual rules of Ice skating are so confusing, it is no wonder that coaches continue to do the same thing that they have done for years. What is needed is a starting point for all coaches to agree to and go forward from there.

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 Figure Skating

Figure Skating's competition structure encompasses the following events covering all disciplines offered within this structure: Singles, pairs and dance

. The International Skating Union (ISU) regulates international figure skating judging and competitions. In languages other than English, figure skating is usually referred to by a name that translates as "artistic skating". Like ice hockey, figure skating is most popular in regions where natural ice is present.

Figure skating in popular culture.

As a sport, the Ice Skating was made popular by two great skaters like Jackson Haines of America in the decades of 60`s and 70`s of the 19th century and Norway`s Sonja Henie popularized the Figure Skating during the decades of 1920s and 1930s. 

In 1937, Sonja Henie appeared in the film Thin Ice. In the 1920s and 1930s, Sonja Henie dominated figure skating. Sonja turned competitive success into a lucrative professional career as a movie star and touring skater

Only later, after champions such as Sonja Henie had gained their reputations through these carnivals, did they turn professional and inaugurate the professional shows that have developed into the multimillion-dollar businesses they are today.  Among this year's contestants there were none who could hold a candle toSonja Henie (ten times world's champion), Karl Schäfer (seven timesworld's champion), nor even Megan Taylor (current world's champion).

. Ice skating fans can enjoy some of the excitement of the figure skating that took place at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver since the Stars on Ice show is touring through many cities in the USA. There are "queens and princesses of the ice" who have left their mark on the figure skating world.

Figure Skating History

People used skates as a way of crossing frozen lakes and rivers in the winter. The most ancient skates were made from the leg bones of big animals. Skates were found in the countries like Russia, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Germany. There were holes bored at each end of the bone and the people at that time used the leather straps to tie the skates on.

The Dutch people at that time used the skates made of animal bones as their footwear and glided across the frozen lakes and rivers at the time of Winter.  They used to call these skates, as "Schenkel" in Dutch that means, "Leg bone" After that, the Dutch started using wooden platform skates with flat iron bottom runners around the 14th Century.

A Scotsman invented a pair of all-iron skates in the year of 1592

Jackson Haines, credited with being the father of figure skating, created many new skating moves including the sit spin and, because the strap-on skates of that day proved inadequate for his extraordinary needs, he invented a revolutionary new blade which was solidly affixed to the boot with screws and had a toe pick at the front to aid his jumping and spinning.

He met Axel Paulsen in Oslo, and encouraged him to adapt his revolution-type jump from racing skates to figure skates.; After a few falls, Axel conceived of adding a pick or rake to the front of the figure skates.; After that pick was welded to his figure skates, he could land backwards easily.

In Vienna, he premiered his adaptation of the waltz on skates, and they believed that he must be Viennese; and of course, it was helped by his small orchestra. When Axel competed in a Vienna "meeting" in 1882, an Englishman named Henry Bosworth observed the new pick, and took that invention back to England, where he manufactured several pairs of ice skates, which he quickly sold. He also screwed his figure skates directly onto his boots, which added stability and allowed him to do more athletic leaps and jumps.

 Figure skates differ from hockey skates most visibly in having a set of large, jagged teeth called toe picks (also called "toe rakes") on the front of the blade.

Soft blade covers called soakers are used to absorb condensation and protect the blades from rust when the skates are not being worn. Hard plastic skate guards are used when the skater must walk in his or her skates when not on the ice.

Figure skates have come a long way since the time Jackson Haines took to the ice.

Jackson Haines, the Father Of Figure Skating

Jackson Haines considered the father of modern figure skating. 

Jackson Haines (1840–1875) was an American ballet dancer and figure skater who is regarded as the father of modern figure skating.  Haines, a New Yorker who had studied ballet, was the first skater to put form into figure skating After studying dance in Europe as a young teen-ager, he returned to the United States when he was seventeen and he began to incorporate dance movements into skating with musical accompaniment. 

Figure skating was a stiff, even awkward exercise in its early years.  At this time, figure skating was performed in the "English style", which was rigid and formal.  His ideas met with little enthusiasm until he founded a skating school in Vienna in 1863.  Although his skating style (called International) was rejected in the United States and England, he became a great popular success in Sweden, Austria, and elsewhere on the Continent. 

His style of skating included athletic jumps, leaps, turns, and spins.  Brought Ballet and Athletics to the Ice: Haines was the first skater to incorporate ballet and dance movements into ice-skating.  He traveled to Europe to show off and teach his figure skating ideas.  He lived in Vienna for a time, where his skating style became very popular. 

Figure skating on ice was still in its infancy and had not yet developed as a competitive sport.  For about 20 years, figure skating was tangled in a controversy between purists, mostly from England, and adherents of "fancy skating" as pioneered by Jackson Haines. 

The purists advocated the sheer technique of tracing figures properly, as opposed to the flamboyant free skating that Haines had developed.  Haines' style was a complete contrast to the English style; he used his ballet background to create graceful programs, and introduced accompanying music (a new concept at the time). 

In 1898, the world figure skating championships were held in England, and many English skaters decided that they liked the "International Style" after all.  The result was a compromise: Figure skating competition combined compulsory figures with free skating.

Haines created many new skating moves including the sit spin and, because the strap-on skates of that day proved inadequate for his extraordinary needs, he invented a revolutionary new blade, which was solidly affixed to the boot with screws and had a toe pick at the front to aid his jumping and spinning. 

He arranged many dance steps suitable for the ice rink, like the "Jackson Haines Valse.  Every good figure skater can do a Jackson Haines spin, the showy sit-spin that has helped make ice shows a popular U.

Haines was the inventor of the sit spin, one of the three basic spin types. 

Haines died in Finland and was buried there.

Coaching Figure Skating Jumping

Although figure skating is an Olympic Sport, it is not taught as well as it should be. The rules of the mechanics are confusing and at best, vague on many aspects in particular, figure skating jumping. If you look at the history of figure skating, the elite athletes are leaps and bounds away from what the Olympians of 50 years ago were doing.


One of the most difficult of the skating routines are the jumps. There is a lot of off ice and on ice preparation to complete a perfect jump. Unfortunatly, it is often difficult to get a coach who really knows how to coach jumping properly. As a matter of fact, many coaches totally disagree on the fundamental mechanics of skating jumps.

A lot of figure skating coaching is passed on from older coach to younger coach and the to the skater. There is not very much written about jumping, and the books that are out there often disagree with each other! There is a problem getting the written word into a physical form also.
So we know that most coaches teach very much the same methods and techniques that thier coach has taught them. Unfortunatly, in today's uber-elite athletic world, figure skating seems to be caught up in the past and does not seem to be going forward in North America. New knowledge and techniques are out there, but still, old outdated teachings are still the norm at the regular skating arena.

The problem is not only the coaches fault though, it is the rules themselves that are confusing. They are out dated and vague, and more a hindrance than a help in most cases. Most coaches agree with this, but often it is too felt too hard to break the past history of figure skating instruction if one has been coaching the same way for 20 years.

When you go to the arena and watch a coach, most often they will not be using the newly developed jump mechanics developed by elite coaches for their skaters. The sad thing is, that some of these techniques are really not even that new, some of these mechanics have actually been used for decades. The elite coaches only now are allowing these techniques to become public, and so they are now becoming available for all figure skating coaches to learn from, if they so choose. Often they do not choose.
Instead, the same old routines that they used as a child will be brought out and used again and again. It is really a shame that this continues to happen. The worst thing is, that it will continue to happen again and again until something is done about it.

Many coaches are thinking that without a common fundamental starting point, the confusion and lack of
focus within figure skating will continue. What is needed is to get the coaches to agree what the basics are, or at least that would be a good start. In most other sports, there is a consistent improvement in teaching methods, but not so in figure skating. There is no consistent teaching of techniques in our sport. Coupled with the fact that the actual rules of Ice skating are so confusing, it is no wonder that coaches continue to do the same thing that they have done for years.
What is needed is a starting point for all coaches to agree to and go forward from there.

Do You Need Off-Ice Training for Elite Figure Skating Jumping?

Yes, You Do Need Off-Ice Training for Figure Skating Jumps!

The one thing about elite athletes is that they never stop trying. Trying to get that extra inch, that extra spin. Years ago people only trained on ice, but today the thinking is much different. Now we know that if a skater wants to improve and develop competitive skating skills and get to the next level, off-ice training is a given. The days are long gone when medals are on by people who just train on ice. The actual physical aspect of figure skating jumping lends itself well with off ice training. Just as the act of glide skating looks effortless, but the skating stride is very complicated with many small actions blending together to make a skater look like he or she is sailing effortlessly on water.

Strength, coordination, flexibility must be fully developed so that a skater can develop and realize their full potential on the ice. Things have really changed in the past 15 years in the history of figure skating. Things that are expected now by junior skaters were never seen until skaters started to train off ice. These jumps are more dangerous than anything that people even 20 years ago would have attempted. Indeed, one of the harder figure skating jumps 15 years ago, and axle, is considered quite simple by today’s standards.

In the 1987 World Figure Skating Championships Brian Orser of Canada was the first skater to put two triple Axle jumps in the same program. At that event he also landed one in the short program so he is also credited with being the first figure skater to land three triple Axel jumps in the same competition. In the 2010 Winter Olympics, Mao Asada became the first female to duplicate this extraordinary feat.

Obviously, one of the best reasons for off ice training, is that while one practices on the ice, losing balance and falling, thereby risking injury. The newer, higher jumps, need the stability that off-ice training gives. On ice training is effective for some things, but for building strength and agility, training needs to be done on a stable floor. Why would this be? Well if you think about it, it is because while the skater is on the ice, there are many factors that decrease the efficiency of the training. Just being on the ice, on top of essentially knives attached to skates, balancing on top of a sheet of glassy, smooth ice, is hard enough. Can you imagine doing the exercises on the ice that you can do on the floor?
Imagine that the skater wants to develop leg strength. To do this would be much more hazardous and difficult on ice than if the skater went to an off ice area such as a gym or weight room and did their squats and other exercises in running shoes and on solid footing.

Imagine if the Skating Coach told the skater to do squats and leg lifts with their skates on!

Therefore, it is obvious that off ice training is more effective and certainly less hazardous because you have a solid footing and are not likely to fall.
Many ice skating arenas have rooms that they rent out for just this off ice training. Many will be just ordinary rooms but the trend is to have rooms that are like ballet style exercise rooms with full mirrors and railings to hold onto and stretch against.
Some rooms have carpeting, but a hard wood or linoleum floor with a yoga type mat works very well also. This gives the skater better traction which in turn makes the exercise count for more.
Look for an instructor with some type of coaching certificate, like a National Coaching Certificate. Ask around at the arena for information and advice on what programs are offered and what others do off ice. These instructors are trained in the correct style and also, more important maybe, is they know HOW to coach. It is not everyone who can look at a skater do a failed Axle and say, "Your right foot is not coming down quickly enough, adjust it this way". Don't forget to check out the different types of dance, yoga, and the various other off ice training activities.
Off ice training is much more than strength and fitness. Other types of instruction, such as yoga, can be considered an additional off ice training. Although not specialized for figure skating, yoga builds great stamina, flexibility and strength in a relaxed atmosphere.
ANy skater that is trying to reach for the gold, will want to reach their full potential. To do this they must include off ice training with on ice training.