Waltz jump?

[Anita18]

I figure that most of you are doing these now, so this would definitely be a worthwhile question to ask...how does one get height on the waltz jump? I've been trying them quite tentatively (that's probably my main blunder) whenever I try to put some force into it, my free leg spins to the side and a lot of times I skid off the forward edge. Urgh. I really want to learn this right (no Tara/Jenny jumps for me, thank you...) so how do you do it?

Thanks!

[aehodman]

....not only were mine not high but they also barely covered an inch or two across the ice. This is actually something my coach and I are STILL working on, as we used it in a combination I had in my Bronze program last year, and I need to get it right in order to start landing an axel. She showed me that I had to kick my free leg through a bit more to get the distance (I didn't quite get this until I watched tapes of skaters doing axels and the free leg kick they use in that). I also watch the ladies when they are warming up pre-comp on TV -- many of them start with waltz jumps and you'll see the kick through I am talking about.

I hope this helps -- I'm still trying to get it myself! :)

[Skwilla]

Yeah, I'm still working on height with those too! (and travel distance and well...just that jump in general!) I am always so scared to skate fast but really I think it helps! Just try bending you knee more and "springing" up more. I don't know...I'm no expert...but that's what helps me. Good luck!

[susan ba]

anita... if you're skidding off of your forward edge, then are you remembering to kind of pick in when you take off so you don't skid on an edge? before i actually skated, i never realized that with the axels, the toe pick is the last thing to leave the ice (taking off) and the first thing to touch the ice again (when landing).

tanks for the reminder skate517: i'm going to try to remember to do more knee bend (can never get enough of that) and will try doing the waltzs with more speed tomorrow!

[Skwilla]

anytime!

[lory007]

The only pieces of advice I can come up with have already been said in the forum. (Kicking your free leg up high, gather more speed, bend your knee.) But when you kick your free leg up, make sure it's bent, not straight. (This will also help you with your axel later on.) Oh yeah, and don't have your arms just stay by your side. Make sure they brush by your body and up in front of your chest. (I might be thinking more of an axel than a waltz jump.)

[Skateberry]

the kick thing certainly helps you get more height, but you have to watch out for swinging... when you're doing that, you have to remember to let both your hips go forward at the same time and (if you jump to the left) make sure to check your left side so you don't swing around! i also had to re-learn that when i was learning the axel, because i kept swinging around instead of going straight across the ice! good luck everyone! :)