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 ...

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: Beginner
Base exercise: Waltz entry to take-off position walkthrough
Variation: Continuous, on a straight line
Purpose: This drill helps students practice maintaining control over their skating side while the free leg moves from behind in a waltz/axel entry into a waltz/axel take-off. Doin...

Level: Beginner
Base exercise: Bunny hop
Variation: Continuous bunny hops down a line
Purpose: This drill helps skaters feel the forward vertical height take-off of a waltz jump. Doing continous bunny hops down the line with a focus on lifting the free foot through helps skaters begin to build th...

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: 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: 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: 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...

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...