Key takeaways
- Jumps are named by their takeoff: the edge, the direction, and whether a toe pick helps. Almost all of them land on a backward outside edge.
- Every spin is built from three basic positions: upright, sit, and camel.
- Edges, three-turns, mohawks, and crossovers are the vocabulary of footwork, and they matter as much as the flashy stuff.
- U.S. Figure Skating's adult tests run from Pre-Bronze to Gold and beyond, and "Masters" is a skill level, not an age group.
Figure skating has its own language, and the first few weeks of lessons can feel like a crash course in it. Your coach says "back outside edge," a classmate mentions her "flutz," and someone at the boards is cheering a "Biellmann." This glossary translates the terms you'll hear most, grouped the way you'll learn them, and if you'd like the lighter, fan-level version, our guide to ice skating terms explained like you're not at the Olympics has you covered.
Jump terms (leaps into the air)
Jumps are the thrilling moments when a skater launches off the ice, rotates in the air, and lands on one foot. Nearly every figure skating jump lands on a backward outside edge, so what tells them apart is the takeoff: the edge, the direction, and whether a toe pick assists. The table assumes a counterclockwise (CCW) skater, which is most skaters; clockwise skaters mirror everything.
| Jump | Takeoff | Toe pick? | Single rotations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waltz jump | Left forward outside edge | No | ½ |
| Toe loop | Right back outside edge | Yes, left pick | 1 |
| Salchow | Left back inside edge | No | 1 |
| Loop | Right back outside edge | No | 1 |
| Flip | Left back inside edge | Yes, right pick | 1 |
| Lutz | Left back outside edge | Yes, right pick | 1 |
| Axel | Left forward outside edge | No | 1½ |
The jumps, one by one
Waltz jump is often the very first jump beginners learn: a half-rotation hop from a forward outside edge that lands on the other foot's backward outside edge. You'll hear "try a waltz jump from a standstill" in your first jump lessons, and our waltz jump guide walks through it.
Toe loop is a full-rotation toe jump. The skater takes off from the right back outside edge with help from the left toe pick and lands on that same right back outside edge, so you'll hear "let's add a toe loop after your waltz jump."
Salchow (SAL-kow) is an edge jump from the left back inside edge, with a swing of the free leg helping the rotation, and it's named after the Swedish skater Ulrich Salchow. For many adults it's the first full-rotation jump, and our guide to the Salchow walks through it.
Loop is an edge jump that takes off from the right back outside edge and lands on the same edge and foot after a full rotation. Coaches love to remind you to "keep your free leg close on the loop," because it rewards a tight, quiet rotation.
Flip is a toe jump from the left back inside edge, with the right toe pick jabbing into the ice. Lutz looks similar but takes off from the left back outside edge, which makes it harder; a Lutz that rolls onto the inside edge before takeoff is nicknamed a flutz. That's why you'll hear "hold that outside edge long on your Lutz entry."
Axel is the only one of the six competition jumps with a forward takeoff, from the left forward outside edge, so a single axel needs one and a half rotations. That extra half turn makes it a major milestone, and "she just landed her axel!" is one of the happiest sentences you'll hear at an adult session.
Jumps also fall into two families. Toe jumps (toe loop, flip, Lutz) use a toe pick to vault into the air, while edge jumps (Salchow, loop, axel, and the waltz jump) take off from the edge alone. You can impress your friends by pointing out whether a skater used a toe pick on takeoff, and our guide to every figure skating jump goes deeper.
Spin terms (rotations in place)
Spins are elements where a skater rotates around one point on the ice while holding a specific body position. Good spins depend on balancing over the blade's "sweet spot," the spin rocker just behind the toe pick, and while you can spin either way, most skaters favor one rotation direction. Every spin is built from three basic positions, upright, sit, and camel, and the variations and combinations stack on top of those.
The basic spins
Two-foot spin is the introductory spin, rotating with both feet on the ice, and it builds your sense of balance and rotation before you lift a foot. You'll hear "start with a two-foot spin to get used to the feeling," and our basic spins guide for adults covers it.
Upright spin is a one-foot spin with the body vertical. Its variations include the scratch spin, a fast upright spin where the arms and free leg pull in tight; the layback spin, where the head and shoulders lean back with the back arched and the free leg can be held in any position; and the Biellmann spin, where the skater pulls the free leg up over the head, which takes exceptional flexibility and strength.
Sit spin is done on a deeply bent skating knee, with the thigh of the skating leg at least parallel to the ice and the free leg extended forward. Variations include the cannonball, with the arms and free leg pulled in close, and the pancake, where the free leg folds across the skating leg and the torso bends over it. "Get lower by bending that skating knee" is the line you'll hear most.
Camel spin extends the free leg backward with the knee higher than the hip, so the upper body and free leg form a horizontal line. The flying camel starts with a jump into the camel position, and the donut spin has the skater reach back, grab the free blade, and pull it toward the head to make a circle.
Backspin is a spin on the other foot, the right foot for a counterclockwise skater, on a back outside edge, rotating in the same direction as your forward spins. It's the same position you'll land jumps in, which is why "practice your backspin" is classic advice for jump landings. Combination spin means changing positions, for example camel to sit to upright, often with a change of foot, and our guide to spin levels explains how those features are scored.
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Build a bundleFootwork and moves (edges, turns, and glides)
Footwork means the steps, turns, and glides skaters use to move across the ice with control. Jumps and spins draw the most attention, but footwork connects the elements, expresses the music, and shows off skating quality, and strong footwork builds the edge control and flow that every advanced skill depends on.
Edges and directions
Edges are the two sides of the blade: the inside edge on the big-toe side and the outside edge on the pinky-toe side. Skating on an edge means leaning into it to carve a curve, and it's the foundation of almost everything in figure skating, so you'll hear "push onto a deep outside edge" constantly.
Forward and backward describe which way you're traveling, and since many turns, spins, and jumps rely on backward skating, you'll train both. Our guide to basic edges has drills.
Turns, glides, and moves
Crossovers build speed around curves by crossing one foot over the other, forward or backward, and they show up in every warm-up; our crossovers tutorial breaks them down. A three-turn is a one-foot turn that changes direction and edge and leaves a "3" shape on the ice.
A mohawk is a turn from one foot to the other that changes direction, from forward to backward or back again, usually keeping the same edge type (inside to inside, or outside to outside).
Spread eagle is a glide on both feet with the heels turned toward each other and the toes pointing out, leaning on inside or outside edges to carve a long arc. Ina Bauer is a related glide with one foot on a forward edge and the other trailing on a backward edge, often with an arched back.
A spiral is a one-foot glide with the free leg lifted behind, knee and foot above hip level, and it shows off flexibility and edge control. Shoot-the-duck is a crouching glide on one deeply bent knee with the other leg stretched straight forward, a test of strength, balance, and bravery that adult classes love to giggle through.
Swizzles move you by pushing the feet out and pulling them back together in an oval, and they're usually the first gliding skill you learn. For stopping, the snowplow stop pushes the blades out to skid to a halt, while the hockey stop turns both feet sharply sideways to scrape to a quick stop.
Once the basics feel comfortable, you'll start stringing steps together into a step sequence: a choreographed combination of turns, edges, and transitions that shows skating skills, musical interpretation, and flow. Step sequences are leveled and scored like spins, and when they're skated with deep edges and real speed, they can be even more impressive than the jumps.
Levels and competition terms
Test levels and competition terms help you set goals and track progress, and they're the vocabulary you'll need the first time someone asks "what level are you?" Our guide to U.S. Figure Skating test levels covers the details, and these are the terms you'll hear most.
Tests and levels
Test levels are U.S. Figure Skating's structured tests, and adults (21 and over) can choose the adult track or the standard track. The adult track runs Pre-Bronze, Bronze, Silver, and Gold, then Adult Intermediate, Novice, Junior, and Senior, and each level has a skating skills test and a singles (free skate) test, with the skating skills test passed first. You'll hear "I'm working toward my Bronze test" and "she just passed her Silver!"
Masters is a competition term that trips people up. In U.S. Figure Skating adult competition, Masters Intermediate-Novice and Masters Junior-Senior are the highest skill divisions, and age is handled separately through adult age classes, which for 2026-27 run from Class I (21-30) through Class VI (71 and up). So a "Masters" skater is a very skilled adult, not necessarily an older one.
Programs and scores
A short program is a shorter competitive program with required elements, such as specific jumps, spins, and footwork; at the senior international level it's 2 minutes 40 seconds, plus or minus 10 seconds.
A free skate (or long program) gives skaters more freedom in choosing elements while meeting technical requirements. Senior international free skates are 4 minutes, while adult free skates are much shorter, with a 3:10 maximum even at the Masters Junior-Senior level in 2026-27. Most adult competitions focus on the free skate.
The Technical Element Score (TES) is the points for jumps, spins, step sequences, and other elements, based on their difficulty and how well they're done. The Program Component Score (PCS) rewards the overall quality of the program, and since the 2022-23 season it has three components: skating skills, composition, and presentation. Add TES and PCS, subtract any deductions, and you have the score, which our IJS scoring guide explains in full.
Putting the vocabulary to work
Learning the language of figure skating speeds up your progress and helps you connect with the skating community. Whether you're taking lessons, watching competitions, or cheering on classmates, knowing these terms builds confidence and deepens your appreciation for the sport. Start with the basics, like the waltz jump, the two-foot spin, and your edges, and build from there, because every skater starts as a beginner.
Ready to put these terms into practice? Our guide to starting figure skating as an adult covers your first steps, our guide to coming back to figure skating as an adult is for returning skaters, and when you're ready to compete, our post on adult skating competitions tells you what to expect.
Sources
Jump and spin definitions follow standard ISU element descriptions, and test and competition terms come from U.S. Figure Skating. Program lengths and requirements change between seasons, so check the current charts before you plan a program.
- ISU Technical Panel Handbook, Single Skating 2026-27: jump takeoffs and the basic spin positions, and the layback spin (p. 14).
- ISU Communication 2494, changes accepted by the 2022 ISU Congress: the three program components.
- U.S. Figure Skating, adult testing structure (Adult Pre-Bronze through Adult Senior) and adult competition age classes and Masters levels.
- U.S. Figure Skating, 2026-27 adult singles program requirements (free skate time limits).
- U.S. Figure Skating, The 2026-27 Official Rulebook: the List of Jumps (takeoff edges, PDF p. 175) and rule 6104, the spiral (PDF p. 165).
