Every Figure Skating Jump Explained: How to Tell a Lutz from a Salchow (and Why It Matters)

The only guide you need to finally understand what's happening in the air.

You're watching the Olympics. A skater launches into the air, spins what looks like a million times, and lands on one foot. The commentator yells "TRIPLE LUTZ!" and the crowd goes wild. Meanwhile, you're thinking: "How is that different from the last one?"

You're not alone. Figure skating jumps all look pretty similar when a skater is spinning at 300+ RPM in the air. The differences are subtle — but once you know what to look for, you'll never watch skating the same way again.

The Two Categories: Edge Jumps vs. Toe Jumps

Every figure skating jump falls into one of two categories based on how the skater gets into the air:

Edge jumps — The skater takes off using only the curve of their blade edge. No toe pick involved. Think of it like springing off a bent knee. The three edge jumps are the axel, the loop, and the salchow.

Toe jumps — The skater plants the jagged toe pick at the front of their blade into the ice to vault into the air, kind of like a pole vault. The three toe jumps are the toe loop, the flip, and the lutz.

The easiest way to spot the difference in real time: look at the free leg right before takeoff. If it swings up and forward, it's likely an edge jump. If it reaches back and stabs the ice, it's a toe jump.

The Six Jumps, Ranked by Difficulty

The ISU (International Skating Union) officially ranks the six jumps from easiest to hardest. This ranking determines their base value in the scoring system — harder jumps are worth more points.

From easiest to hardest:

1. Toe Loop (Easiest)

🔴 Toe Jump

Takeoff: Backward, outside edge → toe pick assist

Landing: Same foot you took off from

How to spot it: The skater glides backward, reaches back with their free foot to tap the ice, and takes off. They land on the same foot they started on. It's usually the "add-on" jump at the end of a combination.

Fun fact: The toe loop is the most common second jump in combinations because it's the easiest to tack onto another jump's landing.

Base values: Double: 1.30 | Triple: 4.20 | Quad: 9.50

2. Salchow

🔵 Edge Jump

Takeoff: Backward, inside edge

Landing: Opposite foot, backward outside edge

How to spot it: The skater turns from forward to backward (usually with a three-turn), then swings their free leg forward in a scooping "D" shape to launch into the air. There's no toe pick involved — it's all edge and momentum.

Named after: Ulrich Salchow (Sweden), who first performed it in 1909. He was a 10-time world champion. Yes, it's pronounced "SAL-kow," not "sal-CHOW."

Base values: Double: 1.30 | Triple: 4.30 | Quad: 9.70

3. Loop

🔵 Edge Jump

Takeoff: Backward, outside edge

Landing: Same foot, backward outside edge

How to spot it: The skater is gliding backward on one foot in a curve. Without using a toe pick, they spring off the edge — almost like they're sitting into a chair and then launching out of it. They land on the same foot they took off from.

Also known as: The "Rittberger" in some countries, after German skater Werner Rittberger who first performed it around 1910.

Base values: Double: 1.70 | Triple: 4.90 | Quad: 10.50

4. Flip

🔴 Toe Jump

Takeoff: Backward, inside edge → toe pick assist

Landing: Opposite foot, backward outside edge

How to spot it: The skater glides backward with a deep knee bend on an inside edge, reaches back with their free leg, stabs the toe pick into the ice, and vaults up.

Fun fact: The flip was originally called the "tulip jump" because the skater's body in midair supposedly resembles a tulip. This is the jump most commonly confused with the Lutz — the difference is the edge at takeoff (inside for flip, outside for Lutz).

Base values: Double: 1.80 | Triple: 5.30 | Quad: 11.00

5. Lutz

🔴 Toe Jump

Takeoff: Backward, outside edge → toe pick assist (counter-rotation!)

Landing: Opposite foot, backward outside edge

How to spot it: Look for a long, gliding entry — often from one corner of the rink. The skater is on a backward outside edge, reaches back to tap their toe pick, and then rotates in the opposite direction from the curve of their entry. That counter-rotation is what makes this jump so difficult.

Named after: Alois Lutz (Austria), who first performed it in 1913.

The "Flutz": If a skater is supposed to be on an outside edge but cheats to an inside edge at takeoff, commentators and fans call it a "flutz" (flip + Lutz). Judges can and do deduct points for wrong-edge takeoffs.

Base values: Double: 2.10 | Triple: 5.90 | Quad: 11.50

6. Axel (Hardest)

🔵 Edge Jump — The King of Jumps

Takeoff: FORWARD, outside edge (the only forward-facing takeoff)

Landing: Opposite foot, backward outside edge

How to spot it: This is the easiest jump to identify because it's the only jump where the skater takes off going forward. You'll see them skating forward, bending their knee, and kicking their free leg up and forward to launch. Because they land backward but take off forward, every axel has an extra half-rotation built in. A "triple axel" is actually 3.5 rotations. A "quad axel" is 4.5.

Named after: Norwegian skater Axel Paulsen, who first performed it in 1882 at an international competition in Vienna — while wearing speed skates. He was both a speed skater and figure skater.

The quad axel: Only one person has ever landed it in competition — Ilia Malinin, in 2022. It requires 4.5 rotations in approximately 0.79 seconds of airtime at 340 RPM.

Base values: Double: 3.30 | Triple: 8.00 | Quad: 12.50

Quick Reference: Base Values at a Glance

Jump	Type	Double	Triple	Quad
Toe Loop	Toe	1.30	4.20	9.50
Salchow	Edge	1.30	4.30	9.70
Loop	Edge	1.70	4.90	10.50
Flip	Toe	1.80	5.30	11.00
Lutz	Toe	2.10	5.90	11.50
Axel	Edge	3.30	8.00	12.50

Note: These are base values only. The actual score for each jump is adjusted up or down by the Grade of Execution (GOE), and jumps performed in the second half of a program earn a 10% bonus.

How to Tell Jumps Apart in Real Time

Even seasoned fans sometimes struggle to tell jumps apart at full speed. Here's a cheat sheet for what to watch for:

Is the skater facing forward at takeoff? → It's an axel. This is the only one you can reliably identify every time.

Does the skater tap their toe into the ice before jumping? → It's a toe jump (toe loop, flip, or Lutz).

Does the skater spring up without any toe pick? → It's an edge jump (salchow, loop, or axel).

Was there a long, gliding approach from the corner? → Probably a Lutz.

Did the skater do a turn right before taking off with a toe pick? → Likely a flip.

Did the skater seem to "scoop" themselves into the air with their free leg? → That's the salchow motion.

Honestly, the difference between a flip and a Lutz is nearly invisible at full speed — even commentators sometimes wait for the slow-motion replay. The key difference is the blade edge at takeoff (inside edge for flip, outside edge for Lutz), which affects the direction of counter-rotation.

Combinations and Sequences

You'll hear commentators talk about "jump combinations" and "jump sequences." Here's the difference:

A combination is two or three jumps performed back-to-back with no steps, turns, or glides in between. The skater lands one jump and immediately takes off into the next. Because all jumps land on a backward outside edge, the second jump in a combination is almost always a toe loop or loop (since those jumps can take off from that landing position).

A sequence is when a skater performs jumps connected by steps or turns — there's a brief transitional movement between them. Sequences receive slightly less credit than combinations.

An Euler (formerly called a "half-loop") is a single-rotation connecting jump used in the middle of three-jump combinations. It lets skaters link jumps that couldn't normally be combined. When you hear "triple Lutz, Euler, triple salchow," the Euler is the bridge.

Why Do Quads Matter So Much?

Look at the base value table above. A quad toe loop (9.50) is worth more than twice a triple toe loop (4.20). A quad Lutz (11.50) is worth almost twice a triple Lutz (5.90). At the elite level, where fractions of a point determine medals, the skaters who can land quads have a massive mathematical advantage.

In the men's event, quads are now essentially required to medal. Top men attempt four to seven quads in their free skate. In the women's event, triple axels and quads are becoming more common but aren't yet universal — the women's competition still features heated debate about whether pushing for quads is worth the injury risk and career sustainability tradeoffs.

Common Mistakes Judges Look For

Not every jump is equal even if it's "landed." Judges are looking for:

Under-rotation: The skater didn't complete all the rotations before touching down. If they're short by more than a quarter turn, the jump gets downgraded (called with a "<" or "<<" mark) and loses significant base value.
Wrong edge: Especially on the Lutz and flip, where the takeoff edge matters. A "flutz" (Lutz on the wrong inside edge) gets an "e" call and a point deduction.
Falls: A fall results in a -1.00 deduction from the total score, plus the GOE hit on that specific element.
Two-footed landings: Landing on both feet instead of one signals loss of control.
Stepouts and hands down: Touching the ice with a hand or stepping out of a landing hurts the GOE.

Now You're Ready to Watch

The next time a skater takes off, pay attention to that split-second before they leave the ice. Are they facing forward? That's your axel. Did they stab the toe pick? Toe jump. Long gliding entry from the corner? Lutz. You'll be calling jumps like a commentator before the week is over.

More to explore:

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