How do I get over the fear of jumping?

[isakswings]

I will spin. I will attempt a bunny hop. I will try all kinds of other skating skills, but JUMPING scares the heck out of me. I participated in a skating camp this week and yesterday was the jump portion of the camp. I was terrified. LOL! I did try a waltz jump, but I did it while holding on to the wall. I tried to do it off the wall and couldn't do it. I can do them off ice and my coach(who was teaching this class), had me jump around on 2 feet so I could get used to the feeling of rotating and leaving and landing on the ice. I am perfecting fine with that. It doesn't scare me, but for some odd reason, the idea of jumping and trying a simple waltz jump terrifies me! It's silly! Any tips? I am working on them off ice as well.

Thanks!

[iomoon]

What I do is put on crash pads. I can be confident that my falls won't hurt. 

[sarahspins]

What I do is put on crash pads. I can be confident that my falls won't hurt. 

Yes, this

But working at the boards is the best way to start I think.. it is scary at first, but as you do it more, you get more used to it, and it feels much less foreign.

[TreSk8sAZ]

Is it the landing on one foot backwards that bothers you, or the jumping and rotating? To get used to landing on one foot try skating backwards on two feet (doesn't have to be fast, just enough that you have some momentum). Jump straight up off two feet and land on just your landing foot. This gets your body used to landing and balancing on the one foot while moving, then you can add the rotation in.

[ChristyRN]

The first time my coach introduced the waltz jump, she asked if I "felt brave"  Code for "you're going to try something scary as h***"  I usually looked at her like she was crazy and reminded her that my cell phone was in my bag if I fell and split my head open.

Now, I love jumping.  My waltz is pretty good, but the inconsistant salchow is my fave.

Lots of practice will help get over the fear.  I do floor jumps to get used to the feeling.  My coworkers are used to watching me skate on the floor.  It's kind of funny in the middle of a surgical procedure--I don't jump there, just postion my feet and think about what I should be doing.

[supra]

I kinda suck at bunny hops, actually.

For waltzes, now anybody please correct me if I'm wrong, but I see them as 2 footed 3 turns if that makes sense. You go into it off your LFO, and then land on your RBO. Basically a waltz jump is the first half of a LFO 3 turn, and the second half of a RFI 3 turn. So if you're proficient at those turns, and checking them, then a waltz shouldn't be too hard. What I'd recommend is, try just transitioning from those edges, and then once you get used to transitioning from edge to edge you can add the air and make it an actual jump, but for now treat it just like a step. You can add the power, and the jump that comes with it later, for now just think of transitioning from those edges.

That's just my recommendation, I don't have a real "coach" (though I do have a very knowledgeable guy I get advice from) and I've never taken lessons and I'm all self taught, so take that for what you want. I find skating is all about edge control.

[fsk8r]

When I learnt the waltz jump (and any new jump) I start doing them at a speed I'm comfortable with. So nice and slow. Holding on to the side if possible. I then slowly build up my confidence to do things without holding on (so next to the side but not touching and then a foot away, etc) and then the speed. I can still scare myself if I go too fast so I'm not comfortable with the timing, but sometimes it's good to freak yourself out. And ultimately, you're in charge of how freaked you're going to get.

[VAsk8r]

My coach often tells me, "You're in your head" and "You're overthinking this." Once I feel like I've got enough muscle memory to do the jump without thinking too much about where everything goes, I start giving myself nonsense praises to think to myself over and over so I won't think about what's coming. When I was learning waltz jumps, my boyfriend had just broken up with me, so as I did my crossovers and stepped into the jump, I thought again and again, "Travis is stupid, Travis is stupid."

Sounds silly, but I felt like it really helped.

[isakswings]

Is it the landing on one foot backwards that bothers you, or the jumping and rotating? To get used to landing on one foot try skating backwards on two feet (doesn't have to be fast, just enough that you have some momentum). Jump straight up off two feet and land on just your landing foot. This gets your body used to landing and balancing on the one foot while moving, then you can add the rotation in.

I am not sure. I will try the too foot jump to one foot. Thanks!

[isakswings]

I kinda suck at bunny hops, actually.

For waltzes, now anybody please correct me if I'm wrong, but I see them as 2 footed 3 turns if that makes sense. You go into it off your LFO, and then land on your RBO. Basically a waltz jump is the first half of a LFO 3 turn, and the second half of a RFI 3 turn. So if you're proficient at those turns, and checking them, then a waltz shouldn't be too hard. What I'd recommend is, try just transitioning from those edges, and then once you get used to transitioning from edge to edge you can add the air and make it an actual jump, but for now treat it just like a step. You can add the power, and the jump that comes with it later, for now just think of transitioning from those edges.

That's just my recommendation, I don't have a real "coach" (though I do have a very knowledgeable guy I get advice from) and I've never taken lessons and I'm all self taught, so take that for what you want. I find skating is all about edge control.

My 3 turns are better then what they were, but not proficient yet. I don't know that I am proficient in anything just yet! I haven't had a private lesson in a couple of weeks since I am also paying for my daughter to skate competitions. I will resume in August and I cannot wait!

[isakswings]

When I learnt the waltz jump (and any new jump) I start doing them at a speed I'm comfortable with. So nice and slow. Holding on to the side if possible. I then slowly build up my confidence to do things without holding on (so next to the side but not touching and then a foot away, etc) and then the speed. I can still scare myself if I go too fast so I'm not comfortable with the timing, but sometimes it's good to freak yourself out. And ultimately, you're in charge of how freaked you're going to get.

That is my approach as well. That is how I did bunny hops. I am still not great at those but they at least resemble a bunny hop! lol

[isakswings]

My coach often tells me, "You're in your head" and "You're overthinking this." Once I feel like I've got enough muscle memory to do the jump without thinking too much about where everything goes, I start giving myself nonsense praises to think to myself over and over so I won't think about what's coming. When I was learning waltz jumps, my boyfriend had just broken up with me, so as I did my crossovers and stepped into the jump, I thought again and again, "Travis is stupid, Travis is stupid."

Sounds silly, but I felt like it really helped.

Oh figure skating is most definitely a head game!! I have seen this over and over with my daughter. Thanks for the tip!

[turnip]

Jump around off ice (at home if doing it at the rink is embarrassing). This lets you get the feel of the jump part without any danger (unless, like me, you do it in a narrow corridor and crash into the wall...)

Then jump holding onto the barrier. Then a little way a way from the barrier (this used to make me more nervous, that i would fall and crack my head open, but it never happened and now i do it all the time with loop).

Ignore the kids wizzing past jumping fearlessly... they're kids, they bounce!

might also be worth working on falling if thats what scares you, falls from drags and teapots don't hurt but get you used to ending up on your butt. If its the leaving the ice thing, work on bunny hops and really try to feel the time in the air.

[nataxa]

I think that you have to be very confident with your backward edges. It helps with landing position.
My coach was thinking that I'm not ready for jumping until I was very confident with it. And sure enough that was not scary at all when I know that I could land without a problem.

[Doubletoe]

As long as you keep your shoulders level, point all 10 toes on takeoff and keep them pointed for the landing, you are very unlikely to have a bad fall.  Making sure the toepick is the last thing to leave the ice and the first thing to reconnect with the ice is your best safety precaution on a waltz jump or any other jump.

[Dreaswi]

@doubletoe. I'm confused about toe picks and the waltz jump. I have never used a toe pick for waltz. I think it would be impossible. Moving LFO to a RBO. Where is toe pick in this jump? If I used a toe pick I would face plant.

[ChristyRN]

Your toe pick is the last thing to leave the ice and the first thing to touch the ice.  You jump and land your waltz on toepicks.

[techskater]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clveH3yUUcI

Look at the feet in some of the feet close ups - the last thing to leave is the toe pick and first to land is toe pick

[Doubletoe]

@doubletoe. I'm confused about toe picks and the waltz jump. I have never used a toe pick for waltz. I think it would be impossible. Moving LFO to a RBO. Where is toe pick in this jump? If I used a toe pick I would face plant.

That's an excellent video Techskater posted!  Yes, on ANY jump--whether it's on the floor or on the ice--you roll up onto the ball of your foot, then your toes, as you spring up.  It's impossible to jump flat-footed, which is why elephants can't jump.  Do some waltz jumps on the floor and notice how you lift your heel and point your toes of the takeoff foot, then land on the ball of the other foot, then bring the heel down.  Without skates on, it's so natural that you don't even notice it.  Also notice that the harder you point your toes as you take off, the higher your jump is.

Figure skating blades are designed to enable you to do the same thing on the ice even though you have rigid soles.  The blade is rounded in the front (just like the ball of your foot) and in front of that is the toepick, which acts as both a stabilizer and launching off point just like your toes.  Even though waltz jumps, salchows, loops and axels are called "edge jumps" it is not because they literally take off from the edge of the blade.  They all take off from the toepick.  They are called edge jumps because they do not have an assist from the toepick of the other foot.  On all jumps, you must point your toes as you take off so that the toepick is the last thing to leave the ice.  If you try to jump off the edge, you will probably slip, and that is something you should be afraid of.  You also want the landing toes pointed so that your toepick is the first thing to connect with the ice on landing, then the rest of your foot comes down.  That will keep you from slipping on the landing.

[jwrnsktr]

I agree with the start by the wall method.  Hold on a for a few tries, then try to lighten your touch on the wall, working up to holding on with just one finger.  Then, try it close to the wall, so the wall is in reach.  Eventually move about a foot away from the wall and keep moving away from the wall until you are comfortable.  Give yourself a time limit to accomplish your goal - i.e. by the end of the summer.  You can do it!

[iomoon]

I also practice off-ice before getting the confidence to do it on-ice. My coach tried to get me to do a Salchow and I got really scared. Obvious fail there! Today, I used the skate spinner and landed it without falling. Let's see what happens next session!

[AgnesNitt]

I will spin. I will attempt a bunny hop. I will try all kinds of other skating skills, but JUMPING scares the heck out of me. I participated in a skating camp this week and yesterday was the jump portion of the camp. I was terrified. LOL! I did try a waltz jump, but I did it while holding on to the wall. I tried to do it off the wall and couldn't do it. I can do them off ice and my coach(who was teaching this class), had me jump around on 2 feet so I could get used to the feeling of rotating and leaving and landing on the ice. I am perfecting fine with that. It doesn't scare me, but for some odd reason, the idea of jumping and trying a simple waltz jump terrifies me! It's silly! Any tips? I am working on them off ice as well.

Thanks!

Do what I did, take up ice dance.

[turnip]

If you don't enjoy jumping, then yes, switch to dance.

If you do enjoy jumping, don't let the fear stop you. Adults take longer to learn anyway, and longer to get the confidence to really go for the jumps the way the kids do. but fear of jumping now doesn't mean you won't be working on axel in a few years time

Working on holding the edges in the entry may help, so you're not rushing the takeoff.