Skating technique: jumps - Half Flip

The Half Flip is part of ISI Freestyle 1 curriculum and was also part of my USFSA Pre-Bronze Freestyle Program. I don't think I'll have it in any other programs, so it won't get any attention from now on. I thought to better write the technique down, while I still remember it.

- Few strokes
- Forward Right Inside Mohawk (could be also entered with a Left Forward 3-turn) and check, so entering with the right hand forward, exiting with the left hand forward and the right arm and shoulder strongly kept back and riding on  a Back Left Inside edge
- Pick: bend the left knee and reach back with the right foot, don't bring the right foot high and don't hit the ice, but place the toe pick in the ace to anchor and draw yourself back, over the right foot
- Lift the left foot off the ice, ideally lifting the left knee (but I don't do it, I don't jump high enough to have time for this, or I don't jump high enough because I don't do this). This lifting of the left knee, would be necessary for the full rotation Flip. 
- Simultaneously with the pick you bring the right arm forward (meeting the left on the chest) so the upper body is square. My coach asked me at first to stop the jump here, without rotating, to get used to getting off ice, bringing the weight over the left foot, and getting some height. He was also asking to lift the rib cage, but not the shoulders. The rotations of the jumps is given by the entry edge, not by the upper body twist, but the upper body helps, and if not done right doesn't let the rotation happen. So it is important to be understood and I suspect in half jumps, it is the upper body that initiate the rotation as the beginners edges are not strong enough...
- Land forward on the Left toe pick and immediately push onto a right inside edge, checked with the left arm forward.

I don't remember much from when I learned the Half Flip in group classes. When I reviewed it recently I realized what a good tool it is to understand the things underlined, the check, reaching back and drawing your weight over the picking foot. I was struggling with these learning my full Flip Jump...

Here is the video of the Half Flip from November 2018

 

And here is the video from April 2019. I don't actually see much improvement. I do the check, it does seem I bend my knee a little more before I pick into the ice, but the draw back is not that strong, and I definitely don't bring the right hand forward. You can very well do the Half Flip without it, but that will be necessary for the full Flip. My coach didn't ask me to use the free leg (make that h-position in the air) to help the jump. Again, maybe it is not needed for a half jump. Now I'm eager to get to work on the full Flip, but I'll have to get Loop Jump first. I started to work on it again just for few weeks and for now is not coming around.