Figure skating is a sport that requires more than grace and art. While most non-skaters are unaware of this, performing any technical element in skating requires significant strength and stamina. Awkward positions must be maintained for long periods of time, and muscles that most people hardly ever use must be strong to perform jumps, twists, and lifts that impress audiences and judges alike. All skaters, regardless of age or ability, should engage in a proper off-ice strength and conditioning program to give them the strength and stamina to execute the elements, and also to help prevent injury.
Note: Be sure to check with your coach, your parents, and your doctor before engaging in an off-ice exercise and conditioning program.
Figure skaters who want to build any kind of off-ice conditioning program need to look at their overall goal of putting together an overall off-ice program. I’d like to suggest three exercises in particular that all off-ice programs should include, and these are for all skaters, including couples, dance, and freestylers.
1). bicycle crunch. Like athletes in almost any sport, if a figure skater is doing nothing but off the ice except ONE thing, then it must involve core strength. Your core strength is what allows you to get off the jump, focus your spin, and maintain an upright posture in dance and step sequences. Try twizzle or check your rotation from Axel without core strength — it won’t happen.
A study conducted at San Diego State University evaluated more than a dozen different abdominal exercises to increase core strength, and one that stands out far and above the rest: The bicycle crunch. To do the bicycle crunch, lie on the floor with your abs engaged and your lower back pressed into the floor (you may have to rotate your pelvis down to achieve this). Place your hands next to your ears (DO NOT pull your neck!) and lift your legs up to a 45-degree angle. Move your leg through a pedaling motion while simultaneously rattling in a circular motion and touching the elbow to the opposite knee.
2). Arabesque workout. In the world of dance, gymnastics, and figure skating, the arabic position is one of the most common positions you need to learn to maintain. For figure skaters, this is especially true with camel spirals and turns. An arabesque is best represented by a standard flat bar or edge spiral position from the pre-preliminary and preliminary Movement tests on the Court, with the skating legs held straight, the free feet at or above hip height, and the torso at a 90 degree angle to the skating feet.
To build your flexibility and stamina to hold the arabesque/spiral position, perform the following rotation, to complete on each leg. Start by holding the arabic position for one minute while supporting yourself against a wall, then another minute with your feet supported by a partner or half a wall, then a minute alone, then another minute with your hands on the wall again. Rest about 30 seconds between each position. These one-minute intervals will be difficult at first, but will improve over time and really help you, especially if you also do ballet or gymnastics.
3). Jump box. For most of our sports goers, it’s the jump that draws the applause. If you’re a freestyle skater, your jumps are usually your most difficult technical element, and one of the things you spend the most time practicing is perfecting. Spinning your jumps completely, especially doubles, triples and, if you can do it, quads, requires a tremendous amount of ability to get “hanging time” in the air. Getting “hanging time” is primarily a matter of being able to jump into the air with tremendous force, which is also a matter of shear strength.
The box jump is one of the best ways to train your jumping power and increase your time in the air. The basic box jump is completed by jumping onto a wooden box 18 to 24 inches high with both feet from a standing position. Exploding onto the box, and then exploding out of the box and back to the ground is the most basic method of training your jumping power. An additional method of box jumping includes jumping up one square, then immediately to another, higher box, and then back to the ground. There are many variations of this exercise, all of which will improve your jumping ability.
These three exercises are in themselves the most basic off-ice training program. Of course, as with any athlete, eating right, getting enough sleep and a basic cardio program also benefits all skaters.