Fixing a Double Toe Loop (Sheila Thelen)

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Sheila Thelen works with a skater to correct a double toe loop take-off.  This video addresses a relatively common double toe loop take-off problem in which the jump pivots “too far” and jumps around rather than straight through.  You can see the jump at1:04 in the video.

First and foremost, a skater must “buy in” to the fact that the jump is wrong and needs to be corrected.  Obviously Sheila has done a good job of that with this skater and the skater looks eager to work on the drills and make difficult changes.  Sheila’s first fix was to take the jump off the forward-inside-three-turn entrance and switch to a forward-inside-mohawk-step entrance.  Changing the entrance is a way to remove the skater’s natural tendency to simply repeat a movement pattern.  And in many cases, a change like this helps the skater who may have specific weak skills.  For example, a skater may have a weak forward inside three turn.  If so, doing a double toe loop from it will likely be disastrous.

Sheila uses a drill at the boards to build the correct timing, movement, and feeling.  Notice the discussion on h-position (no h-position on a toe loop!).  Away from the boards, Sheila wants the skater to walk through the jump with an extremely slow tempo, again to develop the correct timing, movement and feeling.  For skaters that spin through their toe loop take-off, an awareness of jump direction is very important.  With this skater, Sheila does another drill alongside the boards to help the skater get a sense of how straight the jump really is.

The “new” double toe at 5:23 in the video is vastly improved in terms of technique but clearly the skater is still working on the landing and feeling of rotation.  The landing is “late” which is very common for skaters that are working on straightening out a jump (since it typically doesn’t feel like it’s rotating enough, even though it is).

This is great in-the-trenches coaching with fantastic information.


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8 responses to “Fixing a Double Toe Loop (Sheila Thelen)”

  1. Shona

    Really liked this video! A few skaters at my rink would really benefit with some of these drills!

    Reply
  2. George

    Shelia

    What a GREAT video. I am an adult skater with the best toe loop (and worse loop) of all the adult skaters at my rink. I see most of my friends do similar things (reaching around) and I can never understand a) why they do that when for me it seems so natural not to) and b) Why LOOP is soooooooooo easy for everyone, though it gives me fits, and toe loop so hard for everyone, though for me it seems so natural.

    I have never heard ANY coach say No H on the toe loop, but that makes perfect sense, and it is the H that I have trouble with on the loop, which is hard for me. I do a little H on the salcow but no where near enough.

    ALso I have never heard any coach talk about the heel off, however when I think back to how my coach does her toe loop, I can see in my minds eye the heel off. She talks about the slide all the time, and I do do that, but NOT the heel off. That is a brilliant observation on your part.

    I can relate this to a heel lead from Ballroom (which I have studied for many years) and can’t wait to get to the rink and try this. Sometimes when my adult friends ask me why my toe loop is good I tell them this. I watched Hanu’s quad slow motion. He keeps his head HARD right until he jumps, even on the prep. I do that (though I can do it just looking forward as well) but for me looking hard right makes it impossible for me to swing the leg around after the 3, and makes the draw totally natural. I should go back and watch Orser and see if he did this, the jump genius that he is. I imagine that is where Hanu learned it.

    Anyway, LOVE the idea of no H and heel off. Really brilliant video, addressing a problem that I know many skaters have, which makes them HATE there toe loop. I LOVE the toe loop and want everyone to feel the same.

    Awesome post, thank so very much

    Reply
  3. Debbie Allen

    That was great entry lesson. I have a skater that has a d-Salchow & d-Loop but just can not get the feel for the takeoff of the d-Toe. I think I will give the Mohawk entry a try as well. Thanks so much for your knowledge.

    Reply
  4. Shelia Thelen

    GOOD NEWS! Her 2T is WAYYYYY BETTER! GO KIRBY! (She’s also grown 4 inches…) Thanks iCS!

    Reply
  5. lsussman

    Thanks for sharing this with us Sheila! I particularly like the straight line wall drill to help with the direction of the jump.

    Reply
  6. Sean

    Great video! If possible add a video “postscript” with the skater doing a double toe after doing the drills for a while.

    Reply
  7. Shelia Thelen

    Here is a link to Kirby’s 2T – LAST NIGHT!

    https://www.facebook.com/icoachskating

    (NOTE: the kid has grown 4 inches since we shot the iCS video.) Also, she’s got phenomena… poor kid. ADDITION NOTES ON TOE LOOP: Remember – this is a “rule breaker” jump. NO “h” position in the take off. It takes of with a straight right leg (for right handed jumpers). Thanks! Sheila

    Reply
  8. Trevor

    Sean, the “postscript” video is posted on the iCoachSkating.com Facebook page. I also included a link to it just below the video above.

    Reply

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