Hong Kong figure skaters seem to use the ice like a trampoline, with such bounce, and also such fearlessness of falling! Figure skating jumps are united by their beauty, but that is where their similarity to each other ends. If you have been following the burgeoning figure skating movement in the SAR at international sized rinks in Hong Kong or learning figure skating, you\'ll need to know the names of the jumps and techniques for executing them. The techniques are fascinating, even for those who are too fond of their intact bones to try them out! Here are seven of the most common jumps in figure skating.

We\'ll start with one of the most thrilling and famous jumps that teaching ice rinks see in their young stars, the axel. Double axels and triple axels are also possible - with plenty of practice! The takeoff for an axel is on the forward outside edge, then one and a half revolutions are made, to land on the opposite foot, on the back outside edge. These were first performed by Axel Paulsen in 1882, and along with the waltz jump, this is the only Hong Kong figure skating jump where the forward edge leads.

A waltz jump is exactly the same as an axel jump, except only a half-revolution is made in the air, rather than one and a half. Despite their similarity, they come at very different times in a Hong Kong ice skater\'s training. Waltz jumps are usually the first jump a skater masters, followed by salchow jumps. The only difference between the two is that salchows start from the back inside edge, rather than the forward outside edge.

Toe loops are a little more involved - a skater is moving backwards, and while on an outside edge will pick with the other toe, jump and turn a half revolution, and land on the original foot. After landing, the Hong Kong figure skater will be moving backwards on an outside edge again. These are often the second jump in jump combinations, because of the versatile landing position. Loop jumps are similar and very easy to recognize for the audience, because there is no toe assist, and the Hong Kong figure skater turns a full revolution. They are also popular as second jumps in combos.

The audience at Hong Kong figure skating competitions often get excited when they hear that a skater\'s specialty is flips - however spectacular it would be, figure skating flips are completely different to gymnastics flips! You\'ll often hear announcers at MegaIce and also Cityplaza Rink explaining flip jumps to the audience - they are done backwards on a back inside edge, the other skate picks, the skater turns a full revolution and lands on the picking foot. These are similar to lutz jumps - the only difference is that in a lutz, the takeoff is the back outside edge rather than the back inside.