Axel jumpThe Axel jump or Axel Paulsen jump, named after its inventor, Norwegian figure skater Axel Paulsen, is an edge jump performed in figure skating. It is the sport's oldest and most difficult jump, and the only basic jump in competition with a forward take-off, which makes it the easiest to identify.Single skatingSingle skating is a discipline of figure skating in which male and female skaters compete individually. Men's singles and women's singles are governed by the International Skating Union (ISU). Figure skating is the oldest winter sport contested at the Olympics, with men's and women's single skating appearing as two of the four figure skating events at the London Games in 1908.
Salchow jumpThe Salchow jump is an edge jump in figure skating. It was named after its inventor, Ulrich Salchow, in 1909. The Salchow is accomplished with a takeoff from the back inside edge of one foot and a landing on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. It is "usually the first jump that skaters learn to double, and the first or second to triple". Timing is critical because both the takeoff and landing must be on the backward edge.
Toe loop jumpThe toe loop jump is the simplest of the six jumps in the sport of figure skating. It was invented in the 1920s by American professional figure skater Bruce Mapes, who may have also invented the flip jump. The skater skates forward on the inside edge of the blade, switches to a backward-facing position, and takes off from a back outside edge with help from the other foot's toe pick. The skater lands on the same back outside edge.
Loop jumpThe loop jump is an edge jump in the sport of figure skating. The skater executes it by taking off from the back outside edge of the skating foot, turning one or more rotations in the air, and landing on the back outside edge of the same foot. It is often performed as the second jump in a combination. HistoryThe loop jump was created by German figure skater Werner Rittberger, and is often called the Rittberger in Europe.
Flip jumpThe flip jump (also called the flip, and formerly the toe salchow) is a figure skating jump. The International Skating Union (ISU) defines a flip jump as "a toe jump that takes off from a back inside edge and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot". It is executed with assistance from the toe of the free foot. HistoryThe origin of the flip jump is unknown, although American professional figure skater Bruce Mapes might have created it.
Lutz jumpThe Lutz is a figure skating jump named after Alois Lutz, an Austrian skater. It is a toe-pick assisted jump with an entrance from a back outside edge and landing on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. It is the second-most difficult jump in figure skating and "probably the second-most famous jump after the Axel".
Figure skatingIce sport performed on figure skatesFigure skating is a sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform jumps, spins, and dance moves on ice. Their footwear are figure skates. It was the first winter sport to be included in the Olympic Games, with its introduction occurring at the 1908 Olympics in London.
Pair skatingPair skating is a figure skating discipline defined by the International Skating Union (ISU) as "the skating of two persons in unison who perform their movements in such harmony with each other as to give the impression of genuine Pair Skating as compared with independent Single Skating". The ISU also states that a pairs team consists of "one Woman and one Man".
Compulsory figuresCompulsory figures or school figures were formerly a segment of figure skating, and gave the sport its name. They are the "circular patterns which skaters trace on the ice to demonstrate skill in placing clean turns evenly on round circles". For approximately the first 50 years of figure skating as a sport, until 1947, compulsory figures made up 60 percent of the total score at most competitions around the world.
Special figuresSpecial figures were a component of figure skating in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Like compulsory figures, special figures involved tracing patterns on the ice with the blade of one ice skate. This required the skater to display significant balance and control while skating on one foot. While compulsory figures were standard patterns derived from the figure 8, the special figures were elaborate patterns of the skaters' own invention.
Ice danceIce dance (sometimes referred to as ice dancing) is a discipline of figure skating that historically draws from ballroom dancing. It joined the World Figure Skating Championships in 1952, and became a Winter Olympic Games medal sport in 1976. According to the International Skating Union (ISU), the governing body of figure skating, an ice dance team consists of one woman and one man.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.