Jump Combos and Sequences

Skaters often do 2 or more jumps "in a row", or grouped right after one another. When they do this, it is called a Jump Combination or a Jump Sequence. There is a difference between the two.  A Jump Combination is performed when the 2nd jump takes off from the same edge that the previous jump landed on (in other words, there are no turns or changes of foot between jumps). If there are turns are foot changes between the jumps then the grouping of jumps is called a Jump Sequence.

When a skater performs a Jump Combination, the second jump will almost always be a Toe Loop or a Loop.   This is because these jumps are the only ones that take off from a RBO edge (which nearly all jumps land on). Note however that there are some exceptions to this rule, always occurring when the first jump in the combo does not land on the "standard" RBO edge.  The most common of these includes a Half Loop followed by a Salchow or a flip.  A common Jump Sequence is Axel, mohawk, Axel.

There is no restriction on the number of jumps that may be performed in a jump combination or sequence, but the most common number is 2.  Occasionally,  3-jump combinations are used (for instance, Axel-Half Loop-Double Salchow), but if this is the case, its best if all 3 jumps are different.  Often beginning skaters do really long combinations, usually composed of "something" then a whole bunch of loops  (this doesn't get them much "credit" though -- usually judges figure they just keep going until they can land one that doesn't want to fall over).   

Even though there is no restriction on the number of jumps that can be included WITHIN a combination or sequence, there IS a restriction on the number OF combinations and sequences that can be performed.  Skaters should not perform more than 3 combos in a single program.

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