off ice axel

[vivic01]

Hi everyone. I'm having a really hard time landing my axel on the floor.  I can only do a one-revolution, can't get the additional half.  Does anyone have any advice?

[Doubletoe]

The most challenging part of the axel (whether on ice or off ice) is the timing and technique of getting over your landing side in the air.
The exercise that helped me get my axel on the floor was this one:  Stand in front of a secured bench or raised platform.  Take off just like an axel or waltz jump and do just 1/2 turn, landing backward on your right foot (assuming you jump CCW) in an open backspin position.  That means your shoulders and hips are squared, your arms are rounded in front of you, and your left foot is in front of your right shin.  Practice this until you can land backward in this position with control and balance.  Once you can do that, do the same thing on the open floor, but pull in once you are backward in that position.  That's your axel.

[Loops]

That sounds like a pretty good exercise, doubletoe....I remember doing something similar on ice back in my distant youth when learning my axel, doing a waltz jump with what I'll call an exaggerated weight shift (for lack of better explanation), but no extra rotation until coach saw the control was mastered.  My rink didn't didn't do off-ice training in those days....we were on our own there!

Question though- are you landing in that open  backspin position ON that fixed bench or platform you mentioned?  Sounds like, otherwise why would you need to be near it!....how high would that structure be?

[vivic01]

I have a step up into my diningroom.. but its only about 6 - 8 inches.. is that high enough to practice. 

[Doubletoe]

That sounds like a pretty good exercise, doubletoe....I remember doing something similar on ice back in my distant youth when learning my axel, doing a waltz jump with what I'll call an exaggerated weight shift (for lack of better explanation), but no extra rotation until coach saw the control was mastered.  My rink didn't didn't do off-ice training in those days....we were on our own there!

Question though- are you landing in that open  backspin position ON that fixed bench or platform you mentioned?  Sounds like, otherwise why would you need to be near it!....how high would that structure be?

Yes, you land backward on the bench or other raised platform.  At my old rink, there was a sturdy bench with its back affixed to the wall (in fact, there were two of them) and the seat part was big, flat and level.  The height was the height of a standard bench, which really forced me to jump UP.  But any flat, solid raised surface that has enough room should work, even if it's only 1 foot high.

[vivic01]

Thank you doubletoe... I can land forward (one rotation) pretty easily.. Any advice on how to get that extra half?  I am using the raised step.  I'm still stuck on only one rotation..

[Doubletoe]

Thank you doubletoe... I can land forward (one rotation) pretty easily.. Any advice on how to get that extra half?  I am using the raised step.  I'm still stuck on only one rotation..

Can you land backward (after 1/2 rotation) on a raised surface in an open backspin position?  Keep doing those until that transition in your muscle memory and keep going back to that exercise.  Then try a full axel on the open floor--not a raised surface--pulling in only after you have done the half rotation and are in that position.  Also, how are you going into it?  I would recommend doing it from a standstill, like this:  Stand on your right foot (assuming right foot is your landing foot), with your left foot raised and held against the ankle of your right foot.  Your chest and belly button should be facing north/12:00.  Have your shoulders squared with arms held in an open position in front of you.  This is the position you would be in on your RBO edge just before stepping down onto a LFO waltz jump or axel takeoff edge on the ice.  Now turn your head 90 degrees to the left (west/9:00) and step out onto your left foot in that direction for your takeoff.  This ensures that your right shoulder is back as you step onto the takeoff edge, which is very important for axel rotation.  As you do this, keep your torso upright--not leaned forward-- and take off almost straight up, not covering much distance on the floor.

[vivic01]

yes i can land backwards in the open backspin position very easily but i just measured my "raised platform" and its only 5.5 inches!! does that even count? I barely have to jump to get onto it.

[rd350]

Would anyone be willing to post a video of this exercise?  Very interested.  TIA!

[Doubletoe]

yes i can land backwards in the open backspin position very easily but i just measured my "raised platform" and its only 5.5 inches!! does that even count? I barely have to jump to get onto it.

LOLOL!  Probably not.  Most benches are about 1.5 feet high.  The reason for landing backward on a platform that height is that it teaches you to jump up and get backward over the landing hip at the top of the jump, when you still have time to pull in and get another revolution in before landing.

[vivic01]

I was afraid of that... anything I can buy..step of some sort to practice this at home?

[Doubletoe]

You'll have to get creative.  I'm looking at my modular office furniture right now and the long, low enclosed file cabinets that are against my wall look like  they could work. . . especially since the surface is about 20" deep (gives me room to land).  I'm not trying it with here everyone in the office, though.   Isn't there something at your rink that might work?

[Loops]

This probably won't help, but when I was a kid, one of the girls at my rink had her axel and iir a couple of her doubles.  It was impressive because her jump heights were *maybe* 6 inches.  She had mastered the rotation factor.  So, just letting you know, it CAN BE DONE!  But probably not by most of us.......

Do you have a sturdy coffee table at your house?  We have one that would probably work (obviously not during kids tv time....can't imagine what this exercise would evolve into if the younglings were privvy).

We have the one below from Ikea.  Long discontinued and I don't recall it's model name.  The white things are drawers that pull out, but the whole thing is rock solid.  Maybe you could find something similar?

[vivic01]

um could i use my couch? its deep and high enough and will be a nice soft cushion if I don't make it!

[fsk8r]

Any suggestions which don't destroy furniture? And some of us have low ceilings so jumping onto furniture might start getting a bit close for comfort.
If I do any off ice jumping I have to be careful where I jump, not only do I need to miss the furniture (with any dodgy landings), i've got to jump where there aren't any light fittings to bang my head on.

[alejeather]

I've used those stackable exercise steps at the gym before. The other day, while visiting my parents, I noticed their front stoop was just the right height. It certainly wouldn't move if you jumped on it, but the sharp brick corner makes me a little nervous!

[Doubletoe]

All good reasons to do your off-ice jumping at the rink, LOL!  I do not advocate the destruction of furniture.

[Casey]

I can't wait to destroy my coffee table trying this!