The Physics Behind the Quadruple Axel, the Most Difficult Jump in Figure Skating

In figure skating, the quadruple axel is generally considered the most difficult jump. Until 2022, when US skater Ilia Malinin—currently riding high as the “Quad God” at the 2026 Winter Olympics—started doing them, they seemed impossible. Landing one, naturally, can give an athlete a higher score. But for skaters who aren’t generational talents like Malinin, grasping exactly how to pull off a quadruple axel can be tricky. But physics can offer some clues.

In 2024, the journal Sports Biomechanics published a study by Toin University researcher Seiji Hirosawa that brought science a little closer to understanding how quad axels work. One of the biggest factors? Getting high. Like 20 inches off the ground high.

In the current scoring system of figure skating competitions, the jury, which in the case of the Milano Cortina Games consists of two technical specialists and a technical controller, assigns a score to each technical element, namely jumps, spins, and steps. However, the scores for the more difficult jumps, such as triple or quadruple jumps, are higher than those for the other technical elements, so skaters must perform them correctly in order to win competitions.

Generally speaking the axel is the most technically complex of the jumps. There are three main types, each distinguished by their takeoffs: toe, blade, or edge. Most are named after the first person to do them; the axel is named after Norwegian skater Axel Paulsen. It is also the only one that involves a forward start, which leads the athlete to perform a half-turn more than other jumps. A simple axel, therefore, requires one and a half rotations to complete, while a quadruple axel requires four and a half rotations in the air.

To shed light on the specific kinematic strategies used by athletes to perform the quadruple axel jump, Hirosawa’s study focused on footage of two skaters who attempted this jump in competition. Using data from what’s known as the Ice Scope tracking system, researchers analyzed several parameters: vertical height, horizontal distance, and skating speed before takeoff and after landing.

Contrary to previous biomechanical studies, which suggested that jump height does not change significantly, Hirosawa’s study found that increasing jump height is crucial to successfully performing a quadruple axel jump. Both skaters, in fact, aimed to achieve significantly greater vertical heights in their attempts to perform this jump than in the triple axel.

“This suggests a strategic shift toward increasing vertical height to master 4A [quadruple axel] jumps, in contrast to previous biomechanical research that did not emphasize vertical height,” the study concluded.

Increased jump height, Hirosawa adds, provides increased flight time by allowing a large number of rotations around the longitudinal axis of the body. Short version: jump higher, turn more. “The results of this study provide valuable insights into the biomechanics of quadruple and triple axel jumps, update existing theories of figure skating research, and provide insights into training strategies for managing complex jumps,” the study concludes.

Easier said than done—unless you’re Ilia Malinin.