Developing Athletes, Not Just Skaters

Balance is your ability to retain the center of mass above the base of support when stationary (static balance) or moving (dynamic balance). 

You must be able to maintain static and dynamic balance to perform movements and positions correctly and prevent falls.

Flexibility is your ability to have a wide range of joint movements.

Flexibility provides you with the ability to perform different movements in beautiful positions.

Coordination is your ability to perform smooth and efficient movements. 

Good coordination requires a skater to combine multiple movements into a single movement that is smooth and fluid to achieve the intended goal with speed and grace.

Agility is how quickly you can change direction under control and maintain speed, balance, and power.

In skating, we sometimes describe agility as the ability to move quietly and gracefully while performing at a high level.

Speed is your ability to move all, or part of your body, as quickly as possible. 

Speed is critical as a skater must move quickly from one position to another with complex movements.

Muscular strength is needed to perform jumps, spins, and challenging positions.

Strength supports flexibility by allowing you to hold difficult positions and perform jumps and spins efficiently with maximum force. 

Core strength and stability originate from the abdominal and back muscles. These muscles work together as a control center for your body's balance and stability. 

Powerful core muscles help:

• Maintain balance and proper posture.
• Check rotation.
• Proper body alignment on take-offs.
• Maintain tight air positions.
• Centering spins.
• Control the upper body position, such as holding your arms at shoulder level without fatigue during footwork, stroking, and crossovers. 

The gluteus medius is one of the main pelvic stabilizer muscles. It plays a huge role in controlling the motion of your femur and hip, which provides you with stability.

Gluteus medius strength is required for:

• Control alignment of your hips, legs, knees, ankles, and feet for proper technique in all jump landings and takeoffs.
• Maintaining proper alignment in stroking, footwork, and turns.
• Stabilizing the hip and controlling balance in your spins.
• Raising your free leg into a higher spiral or arabesque position.

This is the primary muscular connection between your upper and lower body. The main function of the psoas muscles is to help flex your hip joint by bringing your leg up and in toward your torso. 

Psoas strength is required to:

• Strengthen your lower spine, supporting your posture. 
• Develop the height of your jumps.
• Lifting your free leg in Axel and salchow jumps.
• Maintaining stable hips in your spins.
• Any free leg kick or thrust, such as in a flying camel spin.
• Prevent psoas muscle syndrome, often called "jumper's hip" or "dancer's hip."

You are using your legs (quadriceps and hamstrings), knees, ankles, and feet in every skating movement so you must keep them strong!

Leg, Knee, Ankle, and Foot strength are required for:

• Gliding, stroking, and crossovers.
• Turns & steps.
• Spirals, Ina Bauers, hydroblading movements.
• Spins and jumps.
• Stamina to perform from beginning to end of your program.

Your arms and shoulder muscles include your deltoids, biceps, and triceps. In skating, strong arms are required to perform choreography that adds flair and grace that contribute to your component scores.

Arm & Shoulder strength is required for:

• Stretching arms out from your body.
• Prepare for jumps.
• Contribute to power and speed.
• Retain balance.
• Hold difficult spin positions.
• Support your core.