The jump starts on a back outside edge. The skater will glide backward on that back outside edge at first. The free leg is extended forward. As the skater begins the jump, he or she will turn towards the outside of the circle. Then, he or she will leap up off the backward skating foot. There will be a half-turn rotation in the air. The leap is toward the free leg which moves forward as the skater turns to the outside of the circle. If he or she wishes, the skater can split a bit in the air by scissor splitting both legs during the jump. He or she first lands on the original free leg's toepick and then glides forward on the skating foot's inside edge.
Some figure skaters say that a falling leaf jump is just like split jump, but is from a loop jump take-off.
Ice skaters enjoy doing several falling leaf jumps in a row by connecting the jumps with either forward inside three turns or with mohawks. When split falling leaf jumps are connected in this manner, the figure skater looks a bit like a ballet dancer leaping continuously around a circle.
