ramp a wood or concrete rise on which to gain speed or perform tricks. Also known as a bank.
skatepark a skateboarding area built up with ramps. slam to fall off the board and get hurt.
tail the back end of a skateboard.
three-sixty (360) a full rotation performed in midair.
trucks the front and rear axles of a skateboard.
skating
arabian a flying spin in which the body is stretched out parallel to the ice.
axel a jump of 1% revolutions.
axel, double a jump of 2% revolutions.
axel, inside an axel in which the takeoff and landing are executed on the same foot.
axel, triple a jump of 3% revolutions.
Bielmann spin a spin in which one leg is held outstretched high overhead.
camel a spin executed in an arabesque position.
Choctaw a forward to backward turn.
crossfoot spin a spin in which one foot is crossed over the other.
deathdrop an arabian with a landing into a back sit spin.
death spiral a pairs move in which the man holds the woman by the arms and pulls her in a circle with her back arched and her head near the ice.
figures the figure eight and its variations; the figures executed in a patch session.
flying camel a flying spin ending in a back camel.
flying sit spin a flying spin that ends with a sitting spin.
free dancing skate-dancing to music.
freestyle jumps, spins, and footwork executed to the sound of music. Also known as free skating.
Grafstrom spiral an arabesque executed with bent knees.
hydrant lift a pairs move in which the man lifts the woman over his head with her legs split.
Lutz a one-revolution jump.
overhead lift a pairs move in which the woman is held high over the man's head with her back arched.
pair sit spin a sit spin in which the skating couple embrace.
patch in competition, a "patch" of ice designated to each skater to lay out figures on. A patch session. pivot a spin with one toe pointed into the ice.
Russian split a jump split in which the skater touches his or her toes.
Salchow a one-revolution jump started off a back inside edge and ended on a back inside edge on the opposite foot.
serpentine a figure comprising three circles; a three- lobe figure.
spin a rapid rotation on one spot on the ice.
split a jump in which the legs are split or spread wide apart.
spread eagle a gliding position with one skate facing forward and one skate facing backwards.
stag a split jump executed with the leading leg bent at the knee.
stroking gliding and propelling oneself over the ice.
Zamboni the vehicle or machine that resurfaces the ice on a rink.
skiing
avalement "swallowing" a mogul, or absorbing the shock of skiing over a bump by retracting the knees and feet.
back moebius a jump in which the skier does a backward somersault in a straightout body position while performing a 360° twist of the body.
backscratcher an acrobatic jump in which the tips of the skis point straight down while the tails touch or "scratch" the skier's back.
ballet a kind of dance on skis performed with a series of graceful freestyle maneuvers.
biathlon a competition combining skiing and rifle marksmanship.
christie a parallel turn made by leaning into the turning direction.
compression turn a turn used on bumpy terrain in which the skier absorbs the bump by retracting or relaxing his legs, then twisting them at the crest to perform a turn.
corn old, coarse, granulated snow.
cornice an overhanging shelf of ice and snow, hazardous to skiers, and known to collapse and cause an avalanche.
crust snow with a hardened surface.
daffy an acrobatic jump in which the skis are scissored in midair.
edging cutting the edges of the skis into the snow to aid in maneuvering; also, walking sideways up a slope.
fall line the direction of a slope's descent.
freestyle avant-garde, acrobatic, or ballet-style skiing.
gelendesprung any ski jump made in a crouching position.
gondola a covered ski lift.
helicopter an acrobatic jump in which the skier spins around 360° in the air, as a helicopter blade.
herringbone a skier's method of walking uphill in which steps are taken at diagonal or wide angles.
kick turn a stationary turn in which one ski is lifted high in the air and swung around to the desired direction.
killer kick an acrobatic maneuver in which the skier "sits" on the back of one ski and kicks the other high in the air, followed by a quick, slicing turn.
langlauf cross-country running on skis.
mogul a bump, hump, or rise of snow.
mogul field a slope with numerous humps.
mule kick an acrobatic jump performed with the skier's knees bent out sideways at a 90° angle.
Nordic skiing cross-country skiing.
peacock's tail an acrobatic maneuver in which the skier makes a complete turn on the uprighted tips of the skis.
powder deep, soft snow.
rambling cross-country walking on skis, a slower and more relaxed form than langlauf.
ramp a slope linking different levels of a mountain.
reverse crossover same as a stepover, only with one ski crossed over the other from behind instead of the front.
royal christie a classical ballet skiing maneuver in which one ski is lifted far behind the skier and brought forward gracefully to make a turn.
royal spin a complete turn with one ski held in the air and turned in pirouette fashion.
schuss to ski straight down a steep slope without turns or traverses.
sideslipping slipping sideways while making a turn.
sidestepping walking sideways up a hill with skis on.
sitzmark the form left in the snow by a skier who has fallen backward.
skijoring skiing while being towed by a horse or vehicle.
slalom a race over a winding course marked with posted flags.
snow cannon a cannonlike device that shoots a spray of water into cold air, forming ice and snow, used by ski resorts.
snowplow bringing the tips of skis together in a V shape or snowplow formation to slow descent or brake. Also known as a wedge.
somersault a backward or forward somersault in the tucked or untucked position.
spatula the front or curved-up end of a ski.
star turn a stationary turn made by raising and putting down the skis alternatively, creating a radius or "star" in the snow.
stepover a ballet maneuver in which one ski is stepped over the other, followed by a royal christie.
swallowing absorbing the impact of a mogul by relaxing or retracting the legs and feet.