Figure Skating Practice

[sk8ryellow]

I was bored and browsing on about.com and found this article. Hope this might be helpful to some.



Many figure skaters have a difficult time figuring out how and what to practice during freestyle practice sessions.
This is a recommended practice plan for an ice skater who is able to do "the basics" (forward and backward stroking, turns, stops, and crossovers). It is assumed that the skater can do some jumps and spins.


First warm up a bit off the ice.
Take a quick jog, do some jumps off the ice, and do some stretching.

Stretch at the rail.

Stroke around the rink (in both directions if possible).

Next do forward crossovers in both directions.

Now do backward crossovers in both directons.

Next, practice all the forward and backward edges.

Do mohawks and three turns.
Advanced skaters can also do brackets, rockers, counters, and choctaws.

Skaters working on US Figure Skating "Moves in the Field" tests, should run through an entire test at least once.
If time permits, skaters should practice the required moves over and over. If time is a factor, a skater should concentrate on at least one move in the test.

Now, practice forward and backward spirals.

Next, do lunges, shoot-the-ducks, spread eagles, bauers, pivots, and attitudes.
If the skater is able, it may be a good idea to also practice bielmans. Also, review both left and right t-stops.

Now, go through the jumps.
Do the jumps in the following recommended order:
Bunny Hops
Mazurkas
Ballet Jumps
Waltz Jumps
1/2 Flips
1/2 Lutzes
Salchows
Toe Loops
Falling Leaf Jumps
Half Loops
Loop Jumps
Split Jumps
Flips
Lutzes
Axels
Jump Combinations
Double Jumps (if the skater can do doubles)

Spins can be practiced between jumps or before or after the jumps.
It is recommended that the skater do upright spins first. Also, each spin should be done several times, not just once.
One Foot Spin
Scratch Spin
Attitude Spin
Sit Spin
Camel Spin
Camel Sit Spin
Layback Spin
Back Spins
Change Foot Upright Spin
Change Foot Sit Spins
Flying Camel
Other Flying Spins
Bielman Spin
Spin Variations

Skaters should also practice footwork sequences.

The skater should run through his or her program to music at least one time during the practice session.
The skater should make sure he or she does a complete run-through of his or her program and should not stop until the music ends. If the skater makes a mistake, he or she should keep going.

After the skater completes his or her program, he or she should skate at least one full lap around the rink to build up endurance.

If time permits, the skater should practice the most difficult jumps, spins, or footwork sequences over and over again.

Before the skater leaves the ice, he or she should skate one good "finishing lap" around the rink.

After the skater has taken off his or her skates, he or she should do some stretching and also do a "cool-down" jog.

[katz in boots]

8:lol: That is soooo funny! :lol:

Sorry, but if I tried to do all that in a 2 hour session, I'd be in hospital 8O
I can't imagine doing all those things in one session, especially several times. Actually, I just wouldn't have the energy or knee cartiledge left to do all those things.

But seriously, would you run through all the small jumps eg mazurkas & ballet, 1/2 jumps each session unless they were part of your program? Or am I just old &/or lazy? (it's a rhetorical question, thanks)

[kayskate]

I understand the progression, but I tend to focus on the skills that are more relevant to me. IMO, I find MITF the best warm-up then I do single jumps and spins. I skip the 1/2 jumps unless I am specifically working on split jumps or something that req's them. If I am skating often, I will focus my practice one day on jumps another on spins another on footwork/MITF. I may do the other skills, but not spend much time on them.

Kay

[Kim to the Max]

I myself have a general progression of things, but I also skate 2-3 hours at a time multiple times a week, so I have the time to do so...

My warm-up is:
* Forward stroking
* Backward stroking
* Forward and backward cross strokes
* Back double 3's (outside and inside)
* Forward double 3's (ouside and inside)
* Forward power pull, turn, back power pull, turn, forward power pull, etc. all on one foot down the ice (left and right foot)
* Forward inside twizzles (singles to the middle, doubles to the end)
* Back outside twizzles (singles to the middle, doubles to the end)
* Forward outside/back inside choctaws (left and right)

Then I decide if I want to do freestyle or moves first (much of that depends on how dead the ice is...with 3 of the 4 the junior moves crossing the middle, I need pretty dead sessions to do them and our last session of the night is usually pretty dead, so many times I will wait to do moves until the end).

Moves are always done in order (power circles [Forward and backward, CCW and CW], rockers, power pulls, choctaws) so that I can train that muscle memory for when I test.

Freestyle, I start with spins - back scratch, scratch, sit, camel/back sit, layback. Then jumps - waltz, salchow, [I skip toe loops because I don't really like them...but I may need to start doing them again to start working on 2 toe], loop, flip, flip/loop, lutz, axel, double sal.

After that, it's footwork from my program, if I have time my program [this needs to start happening more because coach seems to think I am testing Juv this summer 8O], then back camels, flying camels, etc.

[sk8ryellow]

I myself don't go by that, I just found the article online, my coach ggives us a checklist of everything we have to do each session and she set the list up in excel so everyday we write the date and a check by everything we do. I have done it so many times that I have memorized it:

Warm Up:
Strocking
X-Strokes
Power Pulls

Field Moves: Junior(or whatever level ur on)
Footwork Sequence, Short and Long Program

Spins:
Scrach Spin
Back Spin
Sit Spin
Camel Spin
Sit/B. Sit
Tea-Cup
Cannon Ball
Camel/Camel
Layback Spin
Haircutter
Flying Camel
Spin Combinations:
1) combo 1
2) combo 2
3) combo 3

Jumps:
Waltz Jump :D
Salchow
Toe-loop
Loop
Flip
Lutz
Axel
Back Spin Double Loop
Double Salchow
Double Toeloop
Double Loop
Double Flip
Double Lutz
Double Axel
Jump Combinations:
1) combo 1
2) combo 2
3) combo 3

Short Program
Long Program
Other Program(Artistic, footwork, etc)

Skating Skills:
Walley
Spread Eagles
Ina Bauers
Spirals

And then if we still have time on our hands we have a paper full of footwork exercises in our notebook, lol
Now of course we don't do all of this in one session, but its there to remind us of what to work on.