Seeing The Art In Figure Skating
Posted by admin in Figure Skating on July 28, 2011
One of the most highly watched and televised sports are figure skating competitions. Here, skaters are judged according to their technique, style, routine, and performance.
Skaters have a way of making their routines look graceful and calm, much like ballet dancers. However, in reality their performances are not only difficult but require years of dedicated practice. There is no doubt that on their way to perfecting their routines they most likely had to endure numerous falls, bumps, and injuries.
Ice skaters who are eyeing competitive figure skating need to train doing the basic moves. Skills in making steps, turns, spins, jumps, and lifts are required in order to compete.
Jumps are one of the most highly anticipated moves during a routine. When a skater jumps in midair, spins, and then makes a solid and graceful landing, audiences hold their breath and clap excitedly after. Since a jump is not only difficult but dangerous as well, a figure skater practices the move in a gym before training on the ice.
Audiences also look forward to watching a figure skater do a spin. A spin is when the skater turns rapidly and smoothly on the ball of their foot until he or she stops. There are numerous artistic variations to the spin and this can be witnessed in the many routines during figure skating competitions. Read the rest of this entry »
3 Figure Skating Off Ice Exercises To Improve Your On Ice Performance
Posted by admin in Figure Skating, Tips on July 28, 2011
Figure skating is a sport that requires more than just grace and artistry. While most non-skaters don’t realize this, pulling off any technical element in skating requires a significant amount of strength and stamina. Awkward positions must be held for extended periods of time, and muscles that most people hardly ever use must be strong in order to execute the jumps, spins, and lifts that impresses the crowd and judges. All figure skaters, regardless of age or ability, should engage in a proper off-ice strength and conditioning program in order to give them the strength and stamina to execute elements, and also to help prevent injuries.
Note: Be sure to check with both your coach, your parents, and your physician before engaging in any off-ice exercise and conditioning program.
Figure skaters looking to build any sort of off-ice conditioning program need to look at their overall objectives in order to put together an overall off-ice program. I would like to suggest three exercises in particular that all off-ice programs should incorporate, and this is for all skaters, including pairs, dance, and freestylers.
1). Bicycle crunches. Like athletes in just about any sport, if a figure skater were to do absolutely nothing else off-ice except ONE thing, then it would have to involve core strength. Your core strength is what allows you to check out of jumps, center your spins, and maintain an erect posture in dance and step sequences. Try doing a twizzle or checking your rotation out of an Axel without core strength — it simply isn’t going to happen. Read the rest of this entry »