What is a 'pre-rotation' and why do judges deduct for it?

Pre-rotation is when a skater's body starts turning before their blade actually leaves the ice. Think of it like this: if you're supposed to spin in the air during a jump, but you've already twisted your shoulders and hips around while still on the ground, that's pre-rotation.

Judges deduct for it because jumping is supposed to demonstrate a specific skill—the ability to generate rotation in the air using core strength, momentum, and technique. When a skater pre-rotates, they're essentially "cheating" the rotation by doing part of it on the ice. It makes the jump look less clean and takes away from what the jump is actually testing.

At Pre-Preliminary and Juvenile levels, pre-rotation might cost you a few tenths of a point. But as skaters move up to higher levels like Intermediate or Senior, judges scrutinize it more carefully, and the deduction gets steeper. A triple axel with significant pre-rotation could drop you half a point or more.

You'll notice it when your skater seems to rotate their shoulders way before liftoff, or their upper body is already twisted around by the time they're airborne. It's one of those things that looks sloppy once you know what to look for.

The fix? Work with your coach on delayed rotation—really focusing on staying square through the pushoff.

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