The six jumps
Figure skating has six standard jumps. They all land the same way — backward on an outside edge — so the difference is entirely in the takeoff.
Toe jumps
The toe loop, flip and Lutz are toe-assisted: the skater taps the ice with the toe pick of the free foot to launch.
The flip and Lutz are easy to confuse. Both take off backward with a toe pick assist, but the flip leaves from a back inside edge and the Lutz from a back outside edge, against the direction of rotation.
Edge jumps
The Salchow, loop and Axel take off from an edge without a toe pick.
The Axel is the only jump that takes off going forward. Because the skater still lands backward, it carries an extra half rotation: a single Axel is one and a half turns, a triple Axel three and a half.
Why edges matter to the score
Judges watch the takeoff edge closely. A Lutz that drifts onto an inside edge before leaving the ice is marked as an edge call and loses value, even if the rotation and landing are clean.
- Getting startedWhat learning to skate usually looks like in Canada: group lessons, basic skills, and when figure skating becomes its own discipline.
- ScoringThe ISU Judging System in plain terms: technical element score, program components, base values and grade of execution.
- EquipmentHow figure skating boots and blades differ from recreational skates, why fit and stiffness matter, and how sharpening affects the edge.
- AboutA plain-language reference on figure skating basics.