| Double Axel |
Website Links For Axel |
Information AboutDouble Axel |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT AXEL JUMP | |
| figure skating elements | |
|
AXEL TECHNIQUE In order to perform an Axel, the skater typically approaches the jump on a right back outside edge in a strongly held check position before stepping onto a left forward outside edge. He or she vaults over the toe pick of the left skate and "steps up" into the jump with the right leg. Then the skater brings the left leg through to cross in front of the right in what is known as a back spin position, to bring the center of rotation around the right side of the body; this is often described as a weight shift in the air. Uncrossing the legs on the landing checks the rotation and allows the skater to flow out of the jump with good speed. It is quite common for skaters to skid the forward takeoff edge slightly, especially on double and triple Axels, rather than vaulting directly off a clean edge. The skid helps the blade grip the ice on the takeoff, and is considered acceptable technique as long as the skid is not so great that the skater pre-rotates the jump or takes off the back of the blade rather than off the toe pick. When the skater makes a mistake in the timing of the jump such that the blade does not grip at all and he or she slips completely off the edge, the result is what is called a ''waxel'', often resulting in a fall. Computerized biomechanical studies of skaters performing double and triple Axels have shown that skaters typically do not achieve quite as much height on the triple Axel as they do on the double. This may seem counterintuitive, since a higher jump ought to give a skater more time to complete the rotation in the air. Instead, on the triple Axel, skaters do not take such a big "step up" so that they can pull in to the rotation position more quickly. AXEL HISTORY
AXEL VARIATIONS The jump with half a rotation from forward outside to backward outside is called a ''waltz jump'' or a ''three jump'' in some countries. Any other rotational jump with a forward takeoff is generally considered to be a variation of the Axel. These include:
In addition, an Axel entrance can be used as a take-off for flying spins. An ''Axel sit spin'' is also known as a ''flying reverse sit spin'', and is essentially an Axel jump landed in a back sit spin. Rarely, skaters may also attempt a double Axel sit spin. In a ''flying open Axel sit spin'', also known as a ''death drop'', the skater achieves an almost horizontal position in the air (by kicking the takeoff leg backwards and to the side, instead of bringing it forward) before landing in a back sit spin. In general, the International Skating Union 's new "code of points" judging system discourages skaters from including variety jumps such as Axel variants in their competitive programs, because they count towards the maximum number of permitted jumps but carry a much lower point value than any double or triple jump that the skater could perform instead. Likewise, the "code of points" treats all flying spins equally and does not reward the additional difficulty of a double Axel sit spin. A ''toe Axel'' is not a real jump, but is instead the name given to a flawed Toe Loop Jump . USAGE NOTE Some people who are unfamiliar with the details of figure skating mistakenly think that all Figure Skating Jump s are called "Axels". This has occasionally led to extreme gaffes in press coverage of figure skating events by inexperienced sports reporters. |
|
|