What is a 'flip' jump in figure skating and how is it executed?

The Flip Jump: A Skating Essential

A flip is one of the fundamental toe jumps in figure skating, right alongside the lutz and salchow. It's usually one of the first jumps skaters learn after mastering single axels, making it a cornerstone at Pre-Preliminary and Preliminary levels.

Here's what makes a flip distinctive: your child takes off from the back inside edge of one foot while using the toe pick of the opposite foot to launch upward. Picture them gliding backward on their right back inside edge, then planting their left toe pick into the ice for explosive propulsion. This creates that characteristic upward snap that makes flips so satisfying to watch.

The execution flows like this: they approach with speed, position their body into the takeoff edge, drive their free leg forward powerfully while the toe pick does the work, rotate in the air (usually one full rotation for a single flip), and land on the back outside edge of the opposite foot they took off from. Done well, it looks effortless—but it requires tremendous edge control and timing.

What makes flips tricky is that subtle balance between edge work and toe assistance. Many young skaters either over-rely on the pick or lose their edge completely.

Want to see this in your child's skating? [SkateMarks analyzes every jump with per-second AI coaching notes.]