Figure-skating notes

Here are some notes and clips of various basic figure-skating moves.

I do these moves clockwise and counter-clockwise (CW and CCW) whereas most people only jump and spin in one direction, so apologies if the clips are inconsistent with regard to this. The diagrams are all for the CW moves. They're supposed to just give the general idea, rather than necessarily being geometrically accurate.

Edges

Standing on the inside edge tends to make you go a circle inwards, across the body, i.e. a RI (right inside) edge curves you to the left. An outside edge takes you on a curve out, so RO edge curves you to the right. Edges are backwards (B) or forwards (F).

Mohawks

The easiest mohawk is from a FI edge of one foot to a BI edge on the other.

This clip shows a RFI-LBI mohawk:

When doing a mohawk, do not think that the skates need to be in line with each other. The mohawk is carried out on a curve and the skate being put down backwards can be at about 90 degrees to the one which was going forwards.

Three-turns

These change from forward to backwards (or backwards to forwards) on one foot, changing edge at the same time. Again, don't forget they are performed on a curve, not a straight line. Here is the tracing for a right forward outside (RFO) 3-turn.

This clip shows a RFO3:

Enter on RFO, lift onto toes a little as you turn and exit on RBI.

This is the diagram for a LFI3.

This clip is of a LFI3:

Enter on LFI and exit on LBO.

3-turns can be done backwards too, although I find the BI3 turns difficult. For the backwards 3-turns, one puts one's weight on the heel as the foot turns.

Here is a sequence of LFI3-LBO3-LFI3 etc:

3 jump (waltz jump in American)

Jump from FO edge, swing arms and free leg up and forward and then land on the BO edge of that foot.

Here is a clip of the CCW version:

Start back on LBO, push onto RFO, jump and land on LBO. As with all jumps, one should take off from and land on the toe pick and one should keep one's shoulders vertically over one's hips throughout the preparation and the jump. Aim to jump "out of the circle", so that for the CW jump one aims to put one's L foot down forward and to the left of the take-off foot, not directly in front of it. Try to swing the leg through and up rather than round the side.

Salchow

Jump from BI edge, swing free leg across the body and land on a BO edge of the other foot.

Here is a clip of the CW version.

As for the 3-jump, start on LBO then push onto RFO but go straight into RFO3. Then swing the free leg across and jump. Do not aim to jump behind you - just aim to jump to the side. Try to go up over the toe pick as you jump.

Toe-loop

On BO edge, pick in behind with other foot and jump out of the circle to land on BO edge of skating foot.

Here is a clip of the CCW version:

Loop jump

Jump from BO edge, up and round and end up on BO edge of same foot.

Here is a clip of the CW version.

I've got a whole page describing the preparation here. is the loop jump broken down in stages.

3 jump - loop jump combination

Because the loop jump starts from a back outside edge, it can be used in combinations to follow other jumps (which finish on a back outside edge).

Here is a 3 jump loop jump combination:

The 3 jump should be small, and under-rotated and should aim to land out of the circle. Then the additional rotation on the ground can give you the preparation for the loop jump.

Flip

From BI edge, plant toe pick behind, jump up and land on BO edge of picking foot.

Here is a clip of the CCW version:

Start forward on RFI with L arm held out in front, R arm to side. Then bring L foot in front and exchange position of arms. Then do a very flat LFI to RBI mohawk, keeping the L leg extended out behind. Then bend the R knee and plant the L toe pick, allow the L leg to bend as you run onto it and then jump up to the right - again just aim to jump to the side rather than trying to jump all the way round to behind. Land on LBO.

Lutz

From BO edge, plant toe pick behind, jump into the circle and land on BO edge of picking foot.

Unlike other jumps, one jumps into the circle. This means that if one does a toe loop picking in with the right foot one would jump to the right but for a lutz one would jump to the left and land on the same foot (as for a loop jump or flip).

Full prepartion is to begin with RFI-LBI mohawk, then step over with the R foot onto a RBO edge. Reach back with the L foot and check back with the L arm, pick in, allow the R foot to glide back close to the L pick and then jump up to the right.

Here is the CW version with a briefer preparation which is just RFO, LBI, RBO:

Front spin

Push off on FO into FO3 turn and then bring leg around the side and in front as you turn into the spin.

The initial circle one pushes into should be very small - just a few feet in diameter. This is accomplished by having the knee strongly bent and by leaning into the circle - try not to lean forward. The free leg should be left behind until the 3-turn happens. When it does, swing the arm and leg around and in front, then bring in the foot and then hands. That's the theory anyway. To finish, push off on the BO edge of the free foot.

The conventional entry is to begin on the BI edge of the other foot, following on from a FO3 turn and backward crossover, and then push onto the FO edge from that. You can see a clip of that here, with the front spin followed by back spin:

Back spin

The tracing for the back spin would look practically the same as for the front spin except one begins on an FI edge into an FI3 turn. The trailing leg stays behind over the curve then as one makes the 3-turn on turns this leg out at the hip so that inside of the foot faces more up and out. This gets one settled on the BO edge. Then one can bring the arms and leg in.

Here is the CCW version:

Change of foot spins

In theory, one can change from a front spin on one foot to a backspin on the other and vice versa.

Here is a clip of alternating back and front spins:

Camel spins

In a camel spin the free leg and body are supposed to be horizontal. The entry for a front camel spin is similar to for a front upright spin, but with a deeper knee bend and a tighter circle.

Here is the CW version:

Here is the front camel going into the back camel:

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