Contents
Profile
Lutz (figure skating jump)
- Sport
- Figure skating
- Type
- Toe jump
- Take-off
- left back outside edge, right toe pick
- Special feature
- Rotation against the approach curve
- Named after
- Alois Lutz (Austria)
Against the direction of rotation
For the Lutz, the skater glides backwards for a long time on the outside edge of the left foot, often diagonally across a corner of the rink. Then they pick into the ice with the toe pick of the right skate and take off. What makes it special: the curve of the approach runs in the opposite direction to the later rotation in the air. The body has to reverse the movement at take-off. This makes the Lutz demanding in terms of power and technically tricky.
Lutz or flip?
The Lutz and the flip look very similar, as both are toe jumps taking off from the left foot. The difference lies in the edge: outside edge for the Lutz, inside edge for the flip. Many skaters unconsciously roll onto the inside edge just before taking off on a Lutz. This mistake is so common that it has a nickname: the "flutz". The technical panel marks a Lutz with a wrong edge, which lowers its value.
History
The jump is named after Viennese figure skater Alois Lutz, who is said to have first performed it in the early 20th century. This gives Austria a firm place in figure skating vocabulary. Today the triple Lutz is standard among the world's best, and the quad Lutz is performed by the top men and a few women.
Scoring
For the same number of rotations, the Lutz has a high base value, just behind the Axel. Like all jumps, it is also scored with the GOE. Height, distance, flow after landing and a difficult entry earn plus points. A wrong edge, under-rotation or a fall cost points.
Combinations
In combinations, the Lutz is often paired with a toe loop or loop. A triple Lutz–triple toe loop combination is one of the standard elements in the short program of many top women skaters.
Training
The Lutz is usually learned after the Salchow, toe loop, loop and flip. It is important to hold the outside edge until take-off. Coaches therefore often have their skaters practise the approach in isolation, without jumping. Video analysis helps make the edge visible.
Recognising it
Watch for the long, straight backward approach into the corner, often with a look over the shoulder. Just before take-off, the right leg swings back and picks in. If the curve of the approach points outwards, it is a true Lutz.
Frequently asked questions
+What is the difference between a Lutz and a flip?
The Lutz takes off from the outside edge, the flip from the inside edge.
+What is a flutz?
A Lutz in which the skater rolls onto the inside edge before take-off.
Sources & further links
Editorially researched and checked against association and rulebook information. Found a mistake? Write to us via the Contact page.
Read more in the encyclopedia
Term
Figure skating jumps: Axel, Lutz, flip & co.
Figure skating has six basic jumps: toe loop, Salchow, loop, flip, Lutz and Axel. They differ in the take-off – whether with the help of the toe pick (toe jump) or from the edge (edge jump). The landing is almost always backwards on the right foot (for anticlockwise rotators).
Term
Figure skating judging system (IJS, GOE, PCS)
Since 2004, figure skating has been scored under the ISU Judging System (IJS). The total score is made up of the technical score (base value of the elements plus the GOE execution score) and the program components, minus any deductions, for example for falls.
Sport
Figure skating
Figure skating combines athleticism and expression: skaters perform jumps, spins and step sequences to music, which a judging panel scores under the ISU judging system. Olympic disciplines are singles, pair skating, ice dance and the team event.
Term
GOE (Grade of Execution)
GOE stands for Grade of Execution, the execution score in figure skating. Judges use it to score every element on a scale from −5 to +5. The GOE changes an element's base value up or down by a percentage.
Term
Axel (figure skating jump)
The Axel is the only figure skating jump with a forward take-off. That is why it always has half a rotation more than its name suggests: a triple Axel has three and a half rotations. It is considered the hardest of the six standard jumps.
Term
Flip (figure skating jump)
The flip is a toe jump in figure skating. The skater takes off from the back inside edge of the left foot and picks into the ice with the toe pick of the right skate. It resembles the Lutz but is jumped from the other edge.