Glossary of Skating Terminology

Waist loop lift: An overhead lift. The partners skate backwards, one behind the other, facing the same direction. The lifting partner places his hands towards the back of the lifted partner at waist level. The lifted partner reaches back and grasps the wrists of the lifting partner. The lifted partner is raised overhead with the arms of the lifting partner fully extended. In the air, the lifted partner is bent slightly at the waist with the legs extended forwards gracefully.

Waltz jump: A normal rotation edge jump. The skater takes off from a forward outside edge, and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. A waltz jump has one-half rotation in the air.

A waltz jump is also sometimes referred to as a three jump. This is somewhat of a misnomer, since a waltz jump is totally distinct from a hopped three turn where the skater hops into the air at the peak of a three turn.

Warm-up group: The group of competitors who warm up together during the period allotted for that purpose prior to the skating of their competition programs.

Well balanced program: A program that includes a balanced mix of all the different types of elements appropriate to the discipline of skating of which the program is an example.

Walley jump: A counter rotation edge jump. The skater takes off from a back inside edge, and lands on the back outside edge of the same foot.

Wheel: A synchronized skating formation in which the skaters are arranged in 2 to 6 lines radiating from a central point likes spokes of a wheel, and which rotates about that central point.

Wobbles: See sub-curves.

Wrap: To jump using a wrapped position.

Wrapped jump: A jump in which the free leg is turned out with the knee bent and the lower leg held roughly parallel to the ice, and is whipped around the landing leg in a wide, sweeping motion in the check out.