Adults - double jumps

[passion]

Are there any adults out there (who started skating as an adult) and learning their doubles?  If so, which double jump do you find most difficult and most easy?  Any tips on learning doubles?

[sarahspins]

There is someone at my rink with a solid axel and sometimes 2sal who has only been skating for two years.. I think they are a younger adult though - maybe mid 20's?

There are several on YouTube as well...

[jjane45]

Someone at my rink in mid twenties, mostly self-taught with scattered private lessons. Landing Axel and double Sal with some degree of success and unorthodox air position. Such a natural jumper!!!!

[fsk8r]

I know someone who passed her axel in test  just after she turned 40, but now has back problems so has lost the axel. But she's my inspiration to get to that point and start working on the doubles.

[rosereedy]

I am 31 and land axels, dbl sal, working on dbl toe loops and soon starting dbl loops. 

I used to be able to do dbl loops and I think they were the easiest dbl jump.  HATE dbl toe loops with a passion!!!

Also want to add I took a 5 year hiatus from skating when I was 26 and came back this past summer.  Not sure if that counts.

[Laneybug7]

ME! ME!

I'm not letting age stop me from learning as much as I can in skating.  I'm in my mid twenties and have landed..and now perfecting the axel, 2sal, 2toe and just starting the 2loop.  Ugh I'm not a fan of 2toes either!  It's just so unpredicatable and you have to have everything just right or it's utter crap.  2sal came pretty easy to me and I have to admit 2loop isn't too far behind either. Right now it's trying to get them consistant which is the harder part. Theres another adult skater in my club who is also working on axel and 2sal.

Here are some tips from my personal experience: 1) Equipt yourself with kneepad and butt pads...they're life savers!!  2) the higher you jump, the harder you'll fall..so when you're learning them start them off small and then work in the height and speed.  3)this may sound kind of obvious, but before you start jumping..do some warmups using good, clean edges..because they are extremely important not just in everything, but especially for doubles.  Good luck and have fun!:)

[passion]

Double toes are evil.

[irenar5]

I took group lessons when I was 13 for 6 months, then started skating again at 37, 2 years ago.  All of my jumps , except for waltz were learned as an adult.  Now I am working on axel and double sal.  I have not landed either one , but was very close before I had an injury 3 months ago and have been off the ice :-(  

What helped me most were websites, such as "icoachskating" and "myskatecoach", which are online coaching tools.  As an adult, it is important to me to understand mechanics first.  After learning what to look for in doubles, I then video myself and analyze.  My coach is incredibly helpful as well, she is invaluable in my learning. We also work on the jumps in the harness, which helps with fear.  

I think, though the most important thing is having good singles with solid technique.

[Isk8NYC]

Just curious: why did you quit after six months?  I find that's the age where we start to lose skaters.

[irenar5]

Just curious: why did you quit after six months?  I find that's the age where we start to lose skaters.

This was outdoor rink instruction, so the season was done. And in the summer we moved to a city without any ice whatsoever :-(  But I loved it then and I love it now!
I have heard about 13 being the age for quitting.  I think there are a couple of reasons: boys and social life priorities come into play.  Also puberty hits and kids have to relearn a lot of things.  What used to come so very easy, now requires tremendous work, and a lot of teens just are not ready for that.   

[sarahspins]

BTW, I want to add, as a teenager I had a solid axel and 2loop and sometimes 2sal and 2toe.... and an arsenal of spins I don't have now (flying spins, donut, haircutter, etc), and I don't think it's any easier for me re-learning those jumps or spins after 10 years away from the ice than it would be for someone starting as an adult and learning them for the first time.  I got some singles back fast, but others continue to be a struggle.

I skated from 13-19 and then stopped.. had 3 kids while I took TEN years off the ice and returning has had it's ups and downs.  I don't have the same body I did before, and I was off so long that any hope for muscle memory kicking in is all but lost.. it's just not there.. the only lingering benefit I have is that I have a better understanding of the mechanics.. but that doesn't always translate into doing.  Some things came back relatively easily (certain MITF, some spins), and others have taken a lot more work than I thought they ever would.  It's frustrating sometimes, I hate how slow my progress feels compared to where I want to be, and I feel like I work every bit as hard as any adult-onset skater does to get certain jumps  - my point is that nothing at the point where I am now is coming any easier for me because I skated before than it would be for any adult-onset skater.  The notion that it does is just silly.

Then there are people like this guy (who is older than me by about a year).. who make things look TOO easy... if you watch his other videos I think he has all of his doubles now, but he had his axel after only 9 months of skating and he's only been skating for a little more than two years now.  It just boggles my mind because it's so impressive  BUT, it's a good example because his progress isn't exactly a good representation of what everyone should expect.  He started skating about the same time I got back on the ice (which for me was march 2010).  I'm nowhere near his level now, despite having the "advantage" of skating as a kid and being able to do some doubles then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPpQcnl7WP0

[VAsk8r]

BUT, it's a good example because his progress isn't exactly a good representation of what everyone should expect.  He started skating about the same time I got back on the ice (which for me was march 2010).  I'm nowhere near his level now, despite having the "advantage" of skating as a kid and being able to do some doubles then.

Wow! I know an adult skater of similar. She had played hockey but never figure skated before and started taking lessons a little over a year ago and is now at silver level in USFS.

On the other hand, I've been working with a private coach for almost three years now and still haven't landed a lutz! I have to really respect adults landing doubles. I think there must be some inherit athleticism and skating talent at work there.

[sarahspins]

I still can't do a lutz and land on one foot if it makes you feel better. Even flips are iffy on a good day... I only got that one back six months ago.

[irenar5]

Certain sports help tremendously with skating.  Gymnastics, in particular, builds body awareness, balance, strength, flexibility- all the important aspects of figure skating!   I think athletic people in general will have more progress as they are used to taking physical risks in addition to being sports conditioned.  

[Laneybug7]

Yea I should add as a kid, I took eight years of dance, so that helped alot:)

[VAsk8r]

I still can't do a lutz and land on one foot if it makes you feel better. Even flips are iffy on a good day... I only got that one back six months ago.

Interesting! My flip likes to play hide-and-seek too. I wonder what it is about those jumps that you can land doubles but struggle with them? Everyone I've talked to, kids and adults, seems to hate lutzes and even says axels are easier.

[sarahspins]

I have no idea.. I never had a problem with lutzes when I was younger.  I wouldn't have said it was my favorite jump, but I never found them as difficult as I do now... and what bothers me is that I know it's mostly in my head... just like I "couldn't" do a flip.. i did them just fine the day I finally decided I would.  And even on days when they're not working, it's not that I can't do them, it's that I don't have the confidence to commit to it 100% of the time - I've mentally chickened out before I even take off.

[chowskates]

I was 19 & in college when I started. 3 years (and 9 dance tests) later, I started working on the Axel.
I had a 2Sal and 2Toe, and then a baby.

I have a few videos on YouTube about the "progression" of my jumps.
Axel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yL-5ItinPM
2Sal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5SLQS2PCeY
2Toe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBVi4kS0JLI
(these were all made before my baby)

Now my little girl is 4 years old, I'm working to get back to 2Sal and 2Toe (these often are rotated but 2-footed) and working on 2Loop.

I used to think the toe loop was evil, but now the 2Toe is the easiest for me. Turns out, it is now the Axel that I have the greatest fear of, even though I still land it when I muster the courage to jump... go figure!

[passion]

Neat videos Chowskate.  I like that last double toe.

[jjane45]

Someone at my rink in mid twenties, mostly self-taught with scattered private lessons. Landing Axel and double Sal with some degree of success and unorthodox air position. Such a natural jumper!!!!

The said skater recently cut himself on a bad axel landing, had 8 stitches and was back on the ice the next day. I don't feel like we live on the same planet!

[VAsk8r]

How do you cut yourself on a bad axel landing? (Asks the person who got 17 stitches from a flip turn entrance.)

[sarahspins]

My guess would be catching some portion of the lower leg with the blade on the landing.  I saw a little kid (maybe 7 or do this on a salchow, slicing 3" of herher shin open (which is a lot on a little kid!), and I don't know how many stitches she had, but she took quite a while off the ice after.

I sliced my hand open once doing a shoot the duck and didn't even realize I did anything - someone came up to me and let me know I was dripping blood all over the ice and I might want to go take a look at it, so anything is possible   No stitches for that one... they just glued me back together!

[VAsk8r]

I just realized I said flip turn...my bad...flip JUMP. Flip turns are in that other sport I have to do on the nights when we don't have freestyles at the rink.

[treesprite]

Well, I turned 50 yesterday and I swear that within the next 8 months I will be able to land an axel on 1 foot, and a 2sal within a year.  I know how to do it from the past, it's just a matter of getting my groove back and practicing.

[rosereedy]

I just realized I said flip turn...my bad...flip JUMP. Flip turns are in that other sport I have to do on the nights when we don't have freestyles at the rink.

Ah a swimmer.  I was a competitive swimmer for 15 years.  My other fav sport.