subject: Do You Need Elite Off-ice Training For Figure Skating Jumping? [print this page] If you want to develop your skating skills to the next level, then off-ice figure skating training is essential. Gone are the days that on-ice training alone will win medals
The skating stride is very complicated, and has many different aspects and components that blend together to make it look effortless. These aspects, such as coordination, balance, flexibility, and strength to name a few, must be fully developed to enable an elite skater to realise their full potential on the ice. In the history of figure skating, there has never been as many figure skating jumps as there are today. These jumps are more dangerous than anything that people even 20 years ago would have attempted. Indeed, one of the harder figure skating jumps 15 years ago, and axle, is considered quite simple by todays standards.
To aid in these newer, higher jumps, off-ice training is very effective, and is actually more effective than on-ice. Why would this be? Well if you think about it, it is because while the skater is on the ice, there are many factors that decrease the efficiency of the training. Just being on the ice, on top of essentially knives attached to skates, balancing on top of a sheet of glassy, smooth ice, is hard enough. Can you imagine doing the exercises on the ice that you can do on the floor? Imagine that the skater wants to develop leg strength. To do this would be much more hazardous and difficult on ice than if the skater went to an off ice area such as a gym or weight room and did their squats and other exercises in running shoes and on solid footing.
Imagine if the Skating Coach told the skater to do squats and leg lifts with their skates on!
Therefore, it is obvious that off ice training is more effective and certainly less hazardous because you have a solid footing and are not likely to fall. Many ice skating arenas have rooms that they rent out for just this off ice training. Many will be just ordinary rooms but the trend is to have rooms that are like ballet style exercise rooms with full mirrors and railings to hold onto and stretch against.Some rooms have carpeting, but a hard wood or linoleum floor with a yoga type mat works very well also. This gives the skater better traction which in turn makes the exercise count for more.
Look for an instructor with some type of coaching degree, like a National Coaching Certificate or a Professional Skater's Association certificate. These instructors are trained in the correct style and also, more important maybe, is they know HOW to coach. It is not everyone who can look at a skater do a failed Axle and say, "Your right hand is not coming up correctly, adjust it this way".
Off ice training is much more than strength and fitness. Other types of instruction, such as yoga, can be considered an additional off ice training. Although not specialized for figure skating, yoga builds great stamina, flexibility and strength in a relaxed atmosphere.
So if you are a skater who really wants to reach your full potential, you must include off ice training with on ice training. Don't forget to check out the different types of dance, yoga, and the various other off ice training activities.
