Purpose: This drill helps skaters build strength and power in their free leg during the drive up into h position of the axel follow-through

Focus: Axel follow-through, h position, free leg strength

Purpose: This drill helps skaters control their free arm on the axel take-off so that their shoulders do not release too soon before the follow-through.

Focus: Axel take-off, axel follow-through, upper body position, upper body check position, free side shoulder strength

Purpose: This drill helps skaters maintain awareness and pressure over their skating side throughout phases of the axel.

Focus: Axel take-off, axel, follow-through, axel transfer, axis and alignment, body awareness

Purpose: This drill helps skaters work on the pull back and muscle engagement of their free leg in the axel take-off
Focus: Axel take-off, glutes, hip flexors, external rotation, free hip lifted, knee turnout, free leg pathway

Purpose: This drill helps skaters build vertical height on their take-off leg of the axel without using the free side to create the vertical explosion. Skaters also need to maintain good alignment and pressure over their take-off side on the second half of the drill

Focus: Axel entry, axel take-...

Purpose: This drill helps skaters build awareness of their skating/leading side on the axel take-off. The weight helps them maintain pressure on the take-off leg instead of swinging the free side to create the jump

Focus: Skating side, skating side arm position, vertical height, axel take-off, a...

Purpose: This drill helps skaters learn the direction and positioning of their free leg as they move from their take-off position to follow-through and transfer.

Focus: Axel follow-through, axel transfer, free leg position, corrective exercise, swingy axel, free hip dropping

Purpose: This drill helps skaters work on the turn-out of the knee and hip of the free leg on the axel take-off to follow-through.

Focus: Axel take-off, axel follow-through, free leg position, turnout, knee position

Purpose: This drill helps skaters work on the awareness and stability of their skating side shoulder and arm position of the axel take-off

Focus: Axel take-off, upper body position, skating side arm, skating side check, shoulder abduction

Level: Foundation Base exercise: Waltz jump back spin Variation: None Purpose: Start to prepare adding more rotation by landing your waltz jump in a backspin. This helps skaters work on feeling more organized in the air and landing over their axis side. Helps with these common mistakes: Not organ...

Level: Foundation
Base exercise: Waltz/axel entry to take-off repetitions
Variation: On a straight line, finish with take-off into 1/2 turn with checked landing
Purpose: This drill helps skaters practice the control needed for their free side to resist swinging when stepping in on an edge. By ...

Level: Foundation
Base exercise: Waltz jump backward outside twizzles
Variation: None Purpose: This drill helps skaters practice quickly snapping into air position from an axel take-off. Skaters also need to be properly aligned over their axis to be able to continue the rotation into the twizzl...

Purpose: This drill helps skaters work on the axel take-off to follow-through position with vertical and horizontal projection. Skaters should focus on generating power through their take-off leg, as well as keeping their free side checked behind. If the skater feels too swingy or they can't do t...

Purpose: This drill challenges skaters to work on the stability of their axel take-off and follow-through positions before jumping. Skaters should focus on the position of their free leg and arms so that the take-off does not pre-rotate.

Focus: Axel take-off, axel follow-through, free leg posit...

Purpose: This video teaches skaters the basics of twist jumps to help with their stationary rotation skills. Hip twists are essential for skaters to build quick twitch muscles rotating from the hips first rather than the upper body while keeping the head stable.

Focus: Basic technique, upper bod...

Purpose: This exercise starts by skaters setting their hips so that they are leading with their take-off side on the axel. From that position, they then move through the axel take-off to the axel follow through and air position to build muscle memory.

Focus: Alignment, basic technique, skating ...

Purpose: Practicing single leg stationary axel take-offs is important so that skaters can focus on the stability and quality of their take-off position into their follow through. If skaters are practicing the jump with momentum from an entrance, they can often lose the quality of their take-off p...

Level: Foundation
Base exercise: Axel take-off to follow through
Variation: Landing on take off leg rather than landing leg.
Purpose: This drill helps skaters practice getting their full power and vertical height on their take-off by not allowing the free side to enter into rotation before the...

Level: Advanced
Base exercise: Double axel entry to take-off walkthrough
Variation: Stationary, finishes with follow through into air position
Purpose: Doing this drill from standstill allows students to work specifically on the direction of their head, arms, and free leg on the take-off of th...

Level: Advanced
Base exercise: Axel entry to same leg 1/2 turn lockdown
Variation: Starts on a circle, outside twizzles in lockdown position after the outside edge
Purpose: This drill helps skaters work on maintaining pressure on an outside over their take off side. It also helps condition th...

Level: Foundation
Base exercise: Axel take-off hold
Variation: Follow through into a waltz jump
Purpose: This drill has skaters check and work on the quality and stability of their axel take-off position. If the body position isn't correct and aligned over the skating side, it will be difficu...

Level: Foundation
Base exercise: Axel entry to take-off walkthrough
Variation: 1/2 turn, two foot landing, turn forwards and repeat
Purpose: This drill allows skaters to isolate the axel entry and take-off without needing to attempt the full rotation. The two foot landing allows skaters to fee...

Level: Foundation
Base exercise: Axel take-off skip
Variation: On a straight line, continuous
Purpose: This drill helps skaters learn how to fully use their skating side for vertical height by pressing up to their toepick. Doing this on a straight line helps the skater practice control of the fr...

Level: Advanced
Base exercise: Axel take off to 1/2 lockdown same leg
Variation: On a straight line, back outside three turn after landing to turn forward, check, and repeat the drill
Purpose: This drill really works on the control of the axel take off side throughout all phases of the jump. By...