Chris Conte begins a multi-part series on jump development exercises. As Chris explains, the series focuses on a series of warm-up exercises with important drills embedded in them. The purpose of each drill is to improve the skills needed for double and triple jumps. Most of these drills are general and apply to all multi-rotation jumps and are not focused on specific-jump take-off methods or technique.
- Jump Development Exercises Pt 1 – The Snizzle (this video)
- Jump Development Exercises Pt 2 – Warm-Up
- Jump Development Exercises Pt 3 – Flow and Landing Drill
- Jump Development Exercises Pt 4 – Single Snizzle
- Jump Development Exercises Pt 5 – Hop Arounds
- Jump Development Exercises Pt 6 – Inside Axels
- Jump Development Exercises Pt 7 – Building the Axel
In this video, Chris introduces what he calls “The Snizzle.” As you’ll see, snizzle is a combination of the words “snap” and “twizzle” as the exercise is built from a classic “snap drill” and a twizzle. Chris explains in detail what a snap drill is and how to use it to create a snizzle. (Chris credits the snap drill to Audrey Weisiger, but this video is the first on iCoachSkating.com to include this drill. A snap drill is a forward inside three turn on the landing foot, exiting on a back outside edge in an h or d-position.) As Chris says, “We use this snap drill to internally rotate the skating hip and wind up in an h-position with a strong axis.”
Chris references an old iCoachSkating.com video called 3-Turn Magic and notes that his new information here is a more advanced continuation of that video. Chris also references another video where he mentioned that he prefers twizzles to backspins for the development of jump air position. Notice the focus here on axis and the idea of projecting an axis out in front of the skater that the skater can “collide” with. Chris says, “I want them to have an idea that they’re going to jump up to an axis in the air and this is all about how to fold to rotation in the first turn. The axis is traveling with them on the tangent to the circle at any time, and they’re going to snizzle onto the axis.”
Chris continues with a more detailed description of the snizzle. Edge pressure is used to initiate the snizzle, with the upper body “resisting” the rotation while the skating leg and hip turn inward. Chris says the lower body “will accelerate around onto the axis sooner” than the upper body. This creates the twist toward the landing side that is so common in efficient and powerful jump air positions. Chris wants the free side of the rib cage lifted up and over the landing hip. Notice the hopping drill (hint!).
Next, Chris shows how he introduces the snizzle to the skater at the barrier. Notice the toe-pick drag and his explanation of it. And notice how strongly the feet, legs and hips are internally rotated at the end of the turn. To develop strength and control with this inward rotation, Chris recommends a backward T-stop with the skidding foot in front and turned 90 degrees inward. (Yes, it’s harder than it looks…) Chris also offers a few insights about arms and the concept of “colliding with the axis.”
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