Axel tips?

Question

Okay, so when I do my axel, I can't seem to make my legs cross in the air.

My coach says I have a strong take off, but it just kind of dies off from there.

Any advice on keeping my legs crossed while in the air?

Thanks in advanced.

Answer 1

i definatly no wut u mean.

and the following advice is from a clinic with cathy kasey that i took. she was nicole bobeck and...s coach.

shes amazing.

so u have to take steps for off-ice walk through

1) start standing with feet slightly apart. like ur take-off

2)kick up ur knee and follow through with ur arms.

3)hold in that position

4)do a waltz jump

5)when u land, u should have ur foot that u were just standing on up and crossed.( so alternate in the air and dont let ur foot drop when u land!!!)

6) come out in a landing position

7) repeat agen and agen and it will work.

hope this helped.

i no it did for me.

Answer 2

Before you do your axel, try the waltz-loop-backspin combination. Then, when you do your axel, pretend to just be doing a waltz jump and a backspin in the air. Use your arms to force your body around. Also keep in mind to tuck your knees together.

Answer 3

The legs will cross naturally when you transfer your weight to outside of circle.

Answer 4

have you seen the jumps ballerinas do where the jump eith there feet hip widths distance apart cros them in the air and uncross before landing when learning my axel my coach made me do 100 of these every day untill i landed my aaxel it will help your legs understand the motion of quickly coming in to position in the jump! good luck

Answer 5

I know what you're saying.  I feel like after my take off, I  lose all control of what I'm doing!  My coach just showed me this new exercise that she said would help with pulling in for axels and doubles.  Go into a backspin and hold the open position.  At the same time, pull in like you normally would for a backspin and jump straight up.  It ends up looking like a backspin, jump, land in a backspin.  Also try concentrating on not allowing your landling leg to tuck by pushing your landing heel down just after your take off.  Jump, straighten that landing leg and hit your backspin position.  Good luck!

Answer 6

Usually if you are having trouble crossing your feet in the air, it means that you aren't transfering from your take off edge to your backspin position.

Everyone that has said to practise a waltz jump - back spin is dead correct! lol Make sure you practise this over and over. Another excercise that I find helpful with my students is to go to the boards. Stand beside the boards with your left hand on the boards (if you jump common ... reverse it if you jump opposite). Pretty much what you are going to do it a glorified waltz jump while having your hand on the boards.

Jump up, along side the boards and land facing the opposite direction with your opposite hand now on the boards. (this is hard to explain without demonstrating lol) What you want to achieve is transfering to a backspin position at the TOP of the jump and staying in that position when you land. I find having the skaters hand on the boards is a mental safety net without actually doing anything.

You need to get your weight transferred over, or you are going to have ongoing issues with your axel. Make sure you are stepping fully through the jump - dont jump inside the circle or stop your knee from coming through!

Good luck - axel has got to be the trickiest jump to figure out ... after that, everything becomes a little easier becuse your body understands transferring! Kepp it up and you'll get it!

Answer 7

Practice the walk through with all the positions, including the rotation, but don't jump. This helps with muscle memory.

More importantly, get a nice backspin. That spin is so essential in skating that if you couldn't do it you'd be surprised how much you can't do.

Lastly, once you have jumped into the air pretend you are doing a backspin and pull in. Then check out.

Good luck with it!