Figure Skater Training Program

All figure skaters require coaches for their spins, jumps, skating and choreography. They also require a coach for overall body strengthening and proprioceptive training. A skilled personal trainer can handle these tasks in one training program to improve the skater’s performance on the ice.

Figure skating is without question a closed kinetic chain activity. The skater stands on a single blade under each foot, glides on one of the most slippery surfaces on the planet, and 99 percent of the sport is on a single leg. Due to the single leg nature of the sport, the hip, knee and ankle must go through intense stability training. The skater needs to be able to generate power through hip extension for jumps and somehow be able to land on one foot and decelerate... all while looking graceful!

Every second of this event is performed on the feet; therefore, the fitness professional must train clients that way. If you train a figure skater on the floor, that is exactly where she will end up! Before you begin to design a program, there are a few things you need to consider.

1. The Age of the Skater
   Figure skaters 14 to 15 years old, for example, may have adequate strength through hip extension to perform jumps, but their knee and ankle stability will be lacking. Because of this, they will have a harder time in the initial landing and amortization phases of their jumps. This must be trained through single leg deceleration. A wobble board and Bosu ball will be your greatest tools for both upper and lower body training.
2. The Experience of the Skater
   Competitive figure skaters have been learning technique since they could crawl, and some began learning the ropes by mid-elementary school. A veteran skater will have some of the best single leg balance you will ever see! Depending on their level, it is not incorrect to begin their program at an advanced stage. If you are working with a very inexperienced or very young (five to 10 years old) skater, the proper progressions will be necessary to create the foundation for success.
3. The Daily Schedule of the Skater
   Figure skaters are on a revolving schedule, which could start with three hours of skating from 6am to 9am to their Pilates appointment to their massage and finally to their training session with you. They will be more mentally fatigued than physically worn down. Be sure to have them focused on your training session; otherwise, they will not perform at their best. This will equate to a decrease in their on-ice performance.

Sample Program for 14 Year Old Female Skater

The following is a sample program created for a 14 year old female figure skater with seven years of experience who needs improved upper body strength, jumping power and a better ability to land her jumps:

Skaters w/2 Second Pause

• Vertical Load, 2 sets, 20 reps each leg

This exercise is a great way to start off the session after a brief, five minute warm up. It prepares the figure skater for the type of activity she will encounter and is a great dynamic warm up. This exercise trains the skater’s ability to generate power from one leg to the other in the frontal plane, while also creating movement in the transverse plane through the natural counter-movement of the arms and the upper body. The two second pause will activate the hamstrings, tibialis anterior, ITB and adductors, which control the deceleration of a squat motion.

Single Leg Box Jump w/Deceleration

• Vertical Load, 2 sets, 20 reps each leg

The box jump is a very important exercise in this program. Jump from the floor to the box on the same leg and hold for two to three seconds. Step down off the box in the beginning and progress to a depth jump. If the skater cannot be silent as she lands, the box is either too high or the skater needs more reps training deceleration. Your skater must maintain an athletic posture throughout the jump to create maximal power. Teach your skater to use herarms for counter movement on the upward phase of the jump.

Single Leg Stiff Leg Deadlift w/Medicine Ball Pick Up

• Vertical Load, 2 sets, 20 reps each leg

Go from a knee dominant exercise to a hip dominant exercise. Continuing with the single leg theme, have your skater pick up the medicine ball, bring it to her chest and stand in one powerful motion. Have her return the ball back to the floor very slowly. You want to create powerful hip drive, which is the basis for the explosive motion of jumps. The single leg stiff leg deadlift will train the hamstrings and glutes to create power in the sagittal plane while the single leg nature of this exercise uses the glute medius for hip stability.

Single Leg Squat Touchdown w/Dumbbell

• Vertical Load, 2 sets, 20 reps each leg

Another knee dominant exercise, the single leg squat touchdown is very effective at training knee and ankle stability throughout the sagittal plane while controlling the contralateral limb. This is the ultimate total body exercise and perfect for a figure skater who needs to train knee and ankle stability as well as control her arms with precision. Remember to keep this contralateral to mimic the natural X pattern of the body’s movement.

Single Leg Band/Cable Chest Press

• Vertical Load, 2 sets, 15 reps each arm (unilateral & contralateral)

Once you have completed the two set vertical load of the lower body portion of the workout, it’s time to begin the upper body portion. The band/cable chest press is the most effective way to train for pectoral strength while in a standing position. We keep the single leg theme for all upper body exercises to mimic skating, which is almost all on a single leg. Use the contralateral arm and progress to adding rotation as your skater improves.

Dumbbell Row w/Single Leg Hip Extension

• Vertical Load, 2 sets, 15 reps each arm (unilateral & contralateral)

The dumbbell row with hip extension is an exercise that trains the latissimus dorsi as the primary muscle group, but it will also train the opposing glutes as the fibers of both muscle groups arrange in the same vector, and you are holding a hip extended position. The chain acts as one, and it should be trained as such. This is the perfect pulling exercise for a figure skater as it mimic’s positions that figure skaters get into on the ice. Many thanks to the great Mike Boyle for this exercise!

Bosu Ball Single Leg Upper Body Exercises

All other shoulder and arm exercises are performed on a Bosu balance trainer and a single leg. Begin with bilateral arm training and progress to unilateral. If your skater cannot balance on the Bosu with a single leg, have her use single leg and the toes of the other foot touching the Bosu for added support. This is a great tool for a figure skater’s training program because it requires so much foot and ankle stability to keep balance, and most young figure skaters lack stability in these areas. In addition to the exercise shown below, two others include Single Leg DB Arm Curl and Single Leg DB Overhead Arm Extension. I recommend athletes attempt these exercises on the Bosu either barefoot, in socks or wearing Nike Free sneakers. The less arch support they have, the more support they have to create for themselves and that will improve their performance on the ice.

Single Leg DB Lateral Shoulder Raise

After the above program, have your athlete perform a five minute cool down. These movements as long as consideration of the three factors listed above will allow you to administer a safe yet effective exercise program for your figure skater clients.