Master the Outside Edge on Your Lutz Jump Takeoff | Figure Skating

Hey skaters, it's Stace here from Next Edge Tutorials. In today's lesson, I'm going to be showing you how to fix that takeoff on a Lutz jump. So let's do a quick refresher on what a Lutz jump is. It's one of the six jumps that we have in figure skating. Because I jump counterclockwise, it takes off from a left back outside edge, I pick with my right foot, I rotate, and I land on a right back outside edge. Now, where the issue comes in is that a lot of skaters will go for the Lutz jump, they're on that back outside edge, and then at the last second, they will flip to a back inside edge, which then is a flip jump, and where the name comes in, a Flutz jump, because they're going for a Lutz, and they wind up doing a flip. So you might see this, or you might have this issue, and today we are going to help you fix it. All right, let's take a look at a Lutz jump. So I'm on the back outside edge, take off, and land. Now, let's take a look at a Flutz jump, and you're going to be able to see me start on that back outside edge, and then at the last second, I'm going to flip to that inside edge. All right, now we're going to take a look at a Flutz jump. So I'm on the back outside edge, and then I turn it into a flip jump. So you can see, started out on that back outside edge, and then at the last second, my body fell in, which then I picked, and I was on a left back inside, which is a Flutz jump. So let's go to the barrier, and let's learn how to fix this issue. So fixing a Lutz can be very tricky, but today I've broken it down into a four-step process to make it easier. We're going to start with step number one, just working on the outside edge. So you're going to go to the barrier, you're going to hold on to the barrier. Now, if you jump counterclockwise like me, you're going to be going on a left outside edge, and picking with the right foot. Now, if you jump the other direction, you're going to be balancing on that right leg, picking in with the left. So let me go back to my way here. Now, we're going to let that left foot fall to that outside edge, because we really want to make sure that it's nice and secure. Then we're going to go push up, and then again, bend, push flick. And all we're trying to do with this exercise is just feel this outside edge. Push flick. And I am over-exaggerating this pivot on my right foot, just so that you can see it, how it has to move through on that outside edge. I don't want to be doing this, because then we're at a flip jump. So you really want to make sure that that lean is going towards this left outside edge here versus falling in. So this is the very first step is just getting comfortable with that through on that outside edge. Before we move on, I want you to click on the link below in the description for your free PDF guide on the five exercises every figure skater should be doing. We have exercises off the ice and on the ice. I tell my skaters, yes, you might want to be practicing this and this and this, but these exercises you must be doing every single time you take the ice. So if you want to know what they are, give it a click. Okay, we're going to move on to step number two. Now, I don't want you to leave step number one until you are getting that left outside edge every single time. If you jump the other way, making sure that you have a right outside edge. Now, step number two, it's going to be on a nice circle because we're going to start backwards. Our shoulders are going to be into our circle because it's the last point of the lutz that we want. So into our circle, I'm going to stretch my free leg back. I'm going to stretch, tap, toe, and glide out. And then you can repeat again. So last point down in my left knee, stretching my free leg, tap and out. Turn and then repeat again. Pull up and out. Now, with this exercise, if I'm looking at you straight, I'm always thinking about going over my left shoulder. Everything's to the left here. If I think to the right, I'm going to fall in on that lutz. So I'm thinking about that free leg, pulling, then tapping, lift, and then glide out. So I love this second step exercise because it makes me think, okay, outside, outside, outside the whole entire time and not falling in. Now, where you can go wrong with this exercise is we'll pull with the free leg and then we bring it back in. And when we bring it back in, it leads to that lean on the inside edge. And I'm going to show you what I'm talking about. So you've gone here, you're inside your circle, you stretch it, you bring it in, and then you tap. Immediately when you bring that leg in, you are going to fall on that inside edge. So you're going to be practicing it incorrect. So let's do one more time the wrong way I'm going to show you and then the correct way. So we have here, I might pull, bring it in, and then hop. So that is incorrect. We want to make sure that we're inside our circle, dab, pull, tap, and out. So this is step number two. All right, we're going to move on to step number three. So step number three, you are going to pick your favorite entry. If you like gliding from that long back outside edge, perfect. If you like doing an inside outside, perfect. I will be doing a back outside edge because I'm an old school skater and just love holding on that back outside edge. Now, I want you to remember, you're only going to do 50% of your speed into this step number three. Now, step number three, we are taking that step number two and just adding our favorite entry. So let's go. Okay, I'm going to go a bit slower just so that you can really see what we're doing. So I'm going to be on this back outside edge here. I'm going to press up and out, still exiting on that curve around because again, the main focus is this left back outside edge into the jump. Let's do it again. All right, let's take a look at it one more time. Back outside edge, up and out. Now, where this can go wrong with step number three is that you start thinking about rotation. We don't want to think about rotation yet. The main focus is this entry staying on the outside edge. So you are going to focus, get your favorite entry going, and still use this exercise. You do not move on from step number three. Sorry, you don't move on to step number four until step number three is perfect and feeling great. All right, step number four is the single lutz. So we're going to still be focusing on that back outside edge, remembering our shoulders. I want you to trust the process. So let's go. All right, so I'm going to think about this back outside edge here, my shoulders pulling up and out. Yes, it happens very quick, but what I was thinking about is that outside edge, making sure my shoulders go this way, I tap, stay on that outside edge, rotate that single with a nice landing. And there you have it. Those are the four steps that we're going to just use in this lesson to help you fix that lutz. Shoulders up. All right, so again, you can use your favorite entry. You can use that inside to outside. Again, I can't stress enough. I love just a solid back outside edge and then pick it up. All right, let's take a look at how far you have come. Let's take a look at this flutz one more time. All right, there you have it. Now, if you are so worried about landing that lutz, you can go back to doing that flutz. But what you have to remember, it is a process. So please trust it. Be patient. Just make sure you get on that outside edge so that competition, you can get that lutz called. Thanks for watching NextEd Tutorials and looking forward to seeing you in our next lesson.