Basic Figure Skating Terms
Axel jump
The only jump counted as a jump element that starts from skating forward. An axel jump has an extra half rotation (180 degrees), and as all
jumps is landed with the skater gliding backwards.
Besti Squat
A spread eagle in a squating position with the torso held upright. It is named for Natalia Bestemianova.
Biellmann spin
Camel spin
A spin position during which the free leg is extended in the air in an arabesque position parallel to the ice.
Cantilever
An element in which the knees are bent and the back is bent backwards, parallel to the ice. The element can be performed with the hands
on the ice or with them extended in the air.
A catch-foot camel positionCatch-foot
A spin or spiral position in which the free leg is held by one or both hands. The most notable catch-foot position is the Biellmann.
Centered
A spin that that stays in one spot on the ice. The opposite of traveling.
Chasse
An ice dancing step that can be a simple chasse, a crossed chasse, or a slide chasse.
Choctaw turn
A two foot turn with a change of edge that results in a change of lobe.
Charlotte spiral
A spiral position in which the torso is bent down towards the skating leg, with the free leg held in a 180 degree vertical split position. Also
known as a candlestick spiral.
Combination
Two or more elements (jumps, spin positions) performed in succession.
Compulsory Dance
The first of the three programs in ice dance. All teams perform the same dance to the standard music.
Crossovers
Crossing one foot over the other as a way of gaining speed and turning corners.
Double
A jump with two full rotations (720 degrees) in the air (two and a half rotations for double Axel).
Edge
Can refer either to part of the skate blade, or the result of skating on that part. Can be either inside (towards the body) or outside (away from
the body), and forward or backward, for a total for four different edges. A "deep edge" is a deep lean on the edge of the skate.
Exhibition
Non-competition skating or a show. Exhibitions often feature elements banned in competition as well as spotlights and show lighting. Also:
the gala after a competition in which the highest placing skaters perform a show program.
Extension
The way a body part is held in a stretched position.
Fan spiral
A spiral position in which the free leg is lifted, held upwards in front of the body, and lowered, in the style of an opening and closing
Japanese fan.
Flip jump
A toe-assisted figure skating jump that takes off from the back inside edge.
Flying spin
A jump that lands in a spinning position. Commonly performed flying spins include flying camel spins and flying sit spins.
Free Skating
Originally a term for the part of the skating competition that was not compulsory figures. Now the official name of the long program. Also:
free skate.
A "haircutter" spin variationHaircutter
A catch-foot layback spin where the free leg is brought up to head level, but not above. In some cases, the head is dropped back and it
appears that the skate blade is in a position to cut the hair of the skater performing the spin. This position is often performed as a segue
between a layback spin and a Biellmann spin.
Hollow
The groove in the middle of a blade between the inside and outside edges.
Ina Bauer
A two-footed move in which the skater skates with the legs parallel, with one foot on a forward edge and the other leg on a backward edge
on a different but parallel edge (i.e., inside or outside).
Inside edge
The edge of a skate blade facing towards the body.
I-spin
An upright spin position in which the skater pulls the free leg up in a split towards the front of the body, creating an I position.
Jump
A skating move where a skater pushes off the ice into the air, rotates, and typically lands on one foot going backwards.
Jump combination
Two or more jumps performed one right after the other, without intervening steps or turns. Jump combinations most commonly involve the
toe loop or loop jump as the final jump, because they start from the back outside edge, which is the normal landing edge for all 6 jumps.
Jump sequence
Two or more jumps connected by turns or hops.
Landing Leg
The leg on which a skater lands a jump. Opposite of free leg.
Layback spin
A spin position in which the back is arched and head dropped back, the free leg bent behind, and the arms often stretched to the ceiling or
arched overhead.
Lunge
A skating move in which one leg is bent sharply at the knee and the other is extended backwards in a straight line with the boot or blade
touching the ice.
Lutz jump
A toepick-assisted jump with an entrance from a back outside edge and landing on the back outside edge of the opposite foot.
Mohawk turn
A two foot turn on the same edge that continues along the same lobe.
Outside edge
The edge of a skate blade facing away from the body.
Overrotated
A jump in which the skater rotates past the position for landing the jump in the air, or fails to check the rotation on landing.
Pair skating
The skating discipline where two skaters perform overhead lifts, side-by-side spins and jumps.
Pancake spin
A sit spin that has the leg tucked over the other and the upper body is bent over the leg.
Pivot
A two-footed movement in which one foot is flexed and the toe picks are inserted into the ice as a pivot point, and the other foot travels
around the pivot point, such as the movement of a drafting compass.
Program
Skating elements set to music performed by a skater in a defined length of time. There are usually two programs for pairs and single
skaters and three for ice dancers in ISU competitions.
Contents: Top 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Quadruple jump
A jump with four full rotations (1440 degrees) in the air. The only quadruple jumps to have been completed in competition are the toe loop
and salchow by men, and just the salchow for ladies. In a quadruple Axel, the skater would have done 4.5 revolutions (1620 degrees).
Rocker turn
A one-foot turn on the same edge but results in a change of lobe with the rotation inside the original lobe.
Russian split
A split jump in which the skater performs a straddle position with the legs and the body forming a "v" shape. Many also touch their toes.
Salchow jump
An edge jump that takes off from the back inside edge. The jump is named for Ulrich Salchow.
Scratch spin
An upright spin in which the skater has the free leg crossed over the ankle of the spinning leg.
Shotgun spin
An upright spin position in which the leg is held upwards towards the front of the body, but not all the way. The leg is held by the ankle or the
calf, not the blade.
Short program
The first and shorter of the two programs performed by singles and pair skaters at a competition. This program has certain required
elements that must be completed.
Single (jump)
A jump with one full rotation (360 degrees) in the air (one and a half rotations for a single axel)
Sit spin
A spin position with the spinning leg bent at the knee and the free leg extended forward.
Spin
A rotation upon the ice surface. Spins are performed on the round part of the blade, just behind the toe pick.
Spiral
An edge skated with the free leg extended at or above hip level. Spirals are a required element for ladies' and pairs competitions. A good
spiral depends on edge control and speed across the ice, not necessarily leg position.
Split jumps
A jump in the air in which a split is achieved, rather than any specific rotation.
Spread eagle
An element performed with both feet on the ice, the blades turned out with the heels pointing towards each other. It can be performed on
inside edges or outside edges.
A stag jump Stag leap
A split jump in which the front leg is bent under the body.
Stroking
A way of moving across the ice and gaining speed by using the edges of the blades.
Swizzle
A way of moving across the ice on two feet by pushing the feet outwards from a 90 degree angle V and then pulling them together again,
forming an oval on the ice. Also known as scissors, fishes, or sculling.
Synchro
A common shortening for Synchronized skating.
Synchronized skating
A discipline of ice skating in which groups of figure skaters perform together as one unit.
Toe loop jump
A toe-assisted jump that takes off from the back outside edge.
Toe pick
The teeth at the front of a skate blade that assists a skater in jumps and spins.
Traveling
When a spinning skater moves across the ice while spinning instead of centering the spin in one spot.
Triple jump
A jump with three full rotations (1080 degrees) in the air (3 and a half rotations for the triple axel)
Three turn
A one-foot turn with a change of edge that results in a '3' shaped tracing on the ice.
Twizzle
A quick multirotational turn on one foot while moving forwards or backwards.
Upright spin
One of the three main spin positions.
A "Y" spin positionY-spin
An upright spin position in which a skater pulls the free leg up into a vertical split towards the side of the body, creating a Y shape.
Y-spiral
A spiral position in which the free leg is held up in a vertical split towards the side of the body, creating a Y position.
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