The quadruple jump, in which ice-skaters turn four times in midair, was once thought to be an impossible stunt. But today, skaters regularly perform the trick during their routines. That’s left people wondering whether a quintuple jump—one with five full rotations—might be next.
Being able to complete even more spins while jumping depends on three factors, says Deborah King. She studies biomechanics, or how organisms move, at Ithaca College in New York. First, skaters must create torque, or a twisting force, to spin. Then they must push against the ice with more force to lift themselves higher into the air. Finally, skaters have to tuck in their arms even tighter to spin fast enough to complete the turns.
Accomplishing the feat would take years of practice. But King thinks skaters just starting out today may someday achieve it.