Notation key
A skating program alternates between edge states and transitions. Parentheses identify a state—the frame held throughout an edge. Unparenthesized siteswaps describe the motion that reaches the next state. Separating frames from motion makes a program easier to read and align with musical time.
(LFI)Parentheses always mean “state.” A state is a snapshot: if you took one picture of the figure skater at a single moment, it describes the foot, direction, and edge visible in that frame.
Why this order: the fields follow the edge-notation order used by U.S. Figure Skating.
How many options: three binary fields distinguish all 2³ = 8 possible edge states.
−2CTAnything outside parentheses is a transition. A transition is not captured by one picture: it is the motion a video must show to get from one state—or frame—to the next.
Why this order: siteswap fields run from hardest to easiest to observe, and this order most closely follows spoken English.
How many options: the two binary letters and three ordinary rotation choices give 2 × 2 × 3 = 12 standard footwork forms; including the standard loop gives 16, and including the standard spin gives 20. Every footwork form can also be jumped, so the same counts apply to jumps. Allowing a tap before and a tap after adds two more binary choices, multiplying the number of jumped forms by 2 × 2 = 4.
(LFI) 0SS 0SS CT 0CTOnly one state anchor is required, and it may appear anywhere in the program. That state plus the complete ordered siteswap sequence determines every other state. A list of states alone is insufficient because it does not preserve the transitions used between them.
One move combines one of 8 starting states with one siteswap:
For jumped versions, tapped takeoff is a yes/no choice and tapped landing is another yes/no choice: 2 × 2 = 4 execution forms per move. The corresponding totals are 384, 512, and 640.
Skating siteswap
Look up each structural code, its mnemonic reading, and the traditional skating element. Jump entries include an initial state when it is needed to distinguish otherwise identical transitions.
| Siteswap + mnemonic | Traditional name |
|---|---|
| 0CTContinue | Glide / continue |
| 0STSwitch edge | Change of edge |
| 0CSCircle stroke | Push on circle |
| 0SSS stroke | Stroke |
| +CTC-turn | Three-turn |
| −CTCounter C-turn | Bracket |
| +STS-turn | Rocker |
| −STCounter S-turn | Counter |
| +CSC-step | Mohawk / C-step |
| −CSCounter C-step | Mohawk / C-step |
| +SSS-step | Choctaw / S-step |
| −SSCounter S-step | Counter Choctaw |
| +2CTLoop C-turn | Loop turn |
| −2CTCounter loop C-turn | Unnamed |
| ±2ST · ±2CS · ±2SSTheoretical extensions | Unnamed |
| +∞CTC-spin | Spin |
| Standard jumps · canonical counterclockwise entries | |
| (LFO) +jCSJumped C-step, +1 | Waltz jump |
| (LFO) +3jCSJumped C-step, +3 | Axel |
| (LBI) +2jCSJumped C-step, +2 | Salchow |
| (RBO) +2jCTJumped C-turn, +2 | Loop jump |
| (RBO) +2tjCTToe-jumped C-turn, +2 | Toe loop |
| (LBI) +2tjCSToe-jumped C-step, +2 | Flip |
| (LBO) −2tjSSToe-jumped counter S-step | Lutz |
| (RBO) +2jCSJumped C-step, +2 | Euler |
| Non-listed jumps and edge variants | |
| (RFI) +3jCTJumped C-turn, +3 | Inside Axel |
| (LFO) +3jCTJumped C-turn, +3 | One-foot Axel |
| (RBI) −2jSTJumped counter S-turn | Walley |
| (LBI) −2tjCTToe-jumped counter C-turn | Toe Walley |
| (LBO) −2jSSJumped counter S-step | Toeless Lutz |
| Remaining 512 jump siteswaps2³ initial states × 2² takeoff/landing tap choices × 2² shape/foot-action choices × 2 rotation directions × 2 rotation parities (an odd or even number of half-turns) = 512 | Unnamed |