Lutz jump?

Question

i cannot do a lutz jump at all. part of it is because it feels really weird putting my leg far back, and because i can't get much height.

i'm a natural jumper so i'm not sure why i cannot do it. i'm guessing its because i'm slightly freaked out when i'm about to put my toe pick into the ice.

i can do toe loop, loop, waltz, and my very best jump is the flip. (i can do all of the jumps very easily w/ no effort)

is there anything that you recommend that will help me?

thanks!

Answer 1

a lutz is a lot like your flip the feeling of putting your leg back should be the same. for me i always found keeping my left arm (right arm if you're left handed) in front and your right arm (left arm if you're left handed lol) goes down and up as i jump it definitely helped me get more height and as for being scared don't worry about it it will definitely come with time

Answer 2

I have not learned my lutz yet, but i've learned my half lutz, and I know how you feel. Try working on your flip and maybe that will help a little sence it's the same movement.

Answer 3

ooh my best jump is flip too. Its just so fun.

so yah at first I couldn't do a lutz I tried for like an hour and every time I stuck my toe pick into the ice I would chicken out and stop.

I think I was kind of afraid of the jump and even though I wanted to do it my body wouldn't let me.

Warm up with the Flip. then do a lutz at standstill. Just stick your toe pick behind you and do the jump (small and not too high of course) Since you've got the rotation for the Flip this shouldn't be too hard.

then try it from the outside edge with a little bit of speed, but not a lot. Slowly get more speed until its a good strong lutz.

Happy skating!

Answer 4

Try not to over think the jump when you go into it. "Just doing it" can help because then you don't think about the jump too which can cause you to hesitate. Keep working with your coach, and just keep trying. I remember that my lutz came quite quickly, but after moving onto other jumps again and then when it came time to learn my double lutz I struggled with it. Good luck!

Answer 5

i kno lutzes suck especially w/ the new judging system cause there really pushing every one to be on the right edge the whole time (most ppl jump off a lil of there inside edge)

Answer 6

Don't worry yet about height . . . that will come in time as you put more speed into it (gradually convince yourself it's easier with speed - because it is!).  As with all the other jumps, the lutz has its own timing, and that's what you need to get first.  

What entrance are you using?  I know when I first did back crossovers to a long hold on the back edge, I simply didn't get "when" to put that foot back to pick.  That felt weird to me.  

So I was shown a "shorter" edge entrance - it still counts as a lutz.   Assuming you are righty:  Do some straight forward stroking to a straight-ish clockwise inside mohawk (LFI edge to RBI edge). . . once you are on the back inside edge take your free leg (left leg) and cross it in front of the right leg to go on a left back outside edge - then pick back with your right to do a lutz.  That might feel weird at first  too (I actually hated doing that mohawk as it was not my stronger mohawk), but it got me to do a lutz initially.

As far as the "normal" lutz entry, I had to think of some keywords as I did the jump.  HOLD (as in the back outside edge), BEND (as in take off leg), STAND UP (so I don't lean too forward and remember to look up), PICK (as in picking back), UP (vaulting up).  That was just "my" timing for lutz  and that's what I kept saying to myself in practice until it got consistent.  Silly, eh?  

If you have a good flip, I'm confident you will have nice lutz.  Hope that helps!

Answer 7

ya there is a good excercise that always helped me w/ doble lutz. just skate like ur going into a lutz and put ur toe pick in and just jump up dont rotate at all. and just think about it as a flip just w/out the forward turn. and if ur rink has a harness c if ur coach will let u use it.

Answer 8

omg same! i can almost do an axel and a double salchow but not a lutz! try to get your knees bent nicely and get positioned right above your feet. reach your right foot way back and stay very strong. then, just think, 'snap'! it takes lots of time