Skaters, what helped you the most with double jumps?

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As with single jumps, I used the "cautious" approach (I was never one to "just go for it"). Baby steps. I did those jump entrance/back spin exercises (exiting it at the correct time) on the ice - not fast or anything. I was too analytical and simply had to "understand" and "feel" every little thing (adult skater here!). I couldn't just "go for it", because then I'd go "wild" . . . so this was the way I built up my confidence (that's just me!).

But as you know, with double jumps you DO have to go for it - speed and height and that back spin snap! I think I somewhat had a fear of pulling in tight in the air . . . so one coach told me was jump as high as you can, then you'll have more air time to rotate and you won't have to pull in so tightly. So true! And that always stuck with me (mental trick) and worked for the most part.

Premature combos helped too (doing combos even though you're not completely ready to do them). Just another mental trick - so you don't get too mental about the double. Like adding a single loop after any double - makes you stay on your axis or you'll never make the 2nd jump!

Working on stomach muscles made a huge difference. That I had to do off ice. That helped a lot with position in the air! I've seen so many adult doubles where the waist is bent and that doesn't make for an efficient back spin in the air (doesn't look good either). It helped with d.loop as you really have to pull straight up!

Off ice - doing loop rotations helped the most. Same as what someone mentioned above - 1/2, single, even 1-1/2, double but overrotating a quarter turn. Doing it with others in front of a mirror was a big (pressured) motivating factor :P

I personally never really liked using the harness. I always felt like I was strapped in this "thing" and that I was getting puppeteered - I was never confortable with it. I think I used it too much with axel to the point where it was anti-progressive. I don't know about building confidence, but I think I jumped blindly with it (whereas I thought too much without it). I got d.sal without it (before axel) and didn't use the harness with any doubles.

Interestingly, I think doing the harness OFF ice helped (I could think better there). Often we would do just rotations . . . we'd jump up and rotate in back spin position, and the coach would pull up to let us rotate continuously. It's that "hang time" that we needed to feel ON the ice, IN the air - not only to rotate, but to feel that you're pulling yourself UP. We actually did this harness exercise on the ice too, but again, I couldn't "think" on the ice that way.

I wish I could say I had true solid, consistant double jumps - hee hee!! But if anything, the mental tricks helped me the most (mostly because I was too mental about skating!!). :) ...Show more

I've only used the harness once and that was to help me get my axel. I didn't really help much though. Most skaters only use the harness to achieve their Axel It is not used very often for double jumps, maybe double Axel. I haven't used a harness for my doubles and neither has anyone at my rink.

Off ice helps A LOT! Off ice exercises help to strengthen your leg muscles so it is easier to propel yourself into the air. It also helps to get the rotation. You have to practice off ice jumps everyday.

There are a range of different exercises. The best ones for jumping are off ice jumps. Start with single jumps then 1 and a 1/2 then attempt doubles. Practice everyday. It works! When i was starting doubles i didn't do any off ice but when i started it became easier and easier until i landed my first double! Try not to go to the gym to much though. If you do, stick to the aerobic quick explosive exercises as things like weights can make you bulky. This makes it harder to jump.

Hope i was of some help!...Show more

Figure Skating Jump Harness...Show more

I started skating as an adult from 35 to 51. My biggest results to accomplishing a lot of the jumps that I learned was OFF ICE practice.
If you have the space in home or outside, even smoothly gliding on ground with steps counted then doing the jump on the OFF ICE location. If you don't have that much space just doing the jump. Work at it, work at it. Always remembering all the body positions in correct locations but still doing the jump off ice really helped to make it easier on ice....Show more

Doing backwards power pulls a lot with "add-ons" like double three turns, single loops, half loops, salchows (on left foot), etc. etc. It really helped me with arm position and control. I still have issues with my arms getting whacked up so I still do these occasionally. Lots and lots of backspins too!

The harness only has helped me with the double and single axels. I think all other jumps have been hard to do on it....Show more