Slow entry into jumps

I used to pooh-pooh the notion of slow entry into jumps. Waltz jump from standstill was perhaps manageable, Axel from standstill, NO, NO, NO! Double toe going slow? EEW, NO WAY!

I loved to enter the loop with speed, to get a nice, high, big jump. A nice, high, big single loop I did get... BUT what I did not get was the control and the air position to turn it into a double.

It was only today that I realised the logic.

I realised why my coach wanted me to enter the doubles slow - that is when I have to concentrate on control and getting into the right position for the jump.

I also realised why I never liked to enter jumps slow - I did not yet have the right position to land; I was scared.

And this is having the most impact on my flip. Not that my flip is bad, but it wasn't the prettiest, and I knew I wasn't moving my weight over to the right for the rotation. I didn't really think I would do a double - at least not yet.

For my latest program, I had not much power pushes before the flip, and so have been forcing myself to land a slow (single) flip, however tired I was. That forced me to consciously pull up into position.

In lesson last week, my coach asked me to do a double flip. I stared at him like he was crazy. He said, just try.

This evening, I thought I'd try the double flip. I wasn't falling left, right and center like I did when I first tried the other doubles. I'm sure it was under-rotated, but it felt straight, it felt landed, it felt right, AND the take-off felt just like when I made myself do the slow flip!

So, to those headstrong, power-skaters out there, if your coach wants you to slow down to work on a jump, do it!