Useful Information

Useful information about Figure Skating

Taking Care of Your Skates

Skates should be sharpened after approximately 20 hours of skating or at least once every 2 months
Skates should be sharpened by a recognized figure skate sharpener
For new skaters, the type of sharpening that should be done is called a combination sharpening. This type of sharpening is acceptable for all disciplines of skating
Once a skater has a chosen discipline, there are specialized sharpenings (freeskate, dance etc. that you may want to consider)
Please note that you should always sharpen your skates one week before any competition, ice show or test day
Plastic skate guards should always be used when you are walking on your skates off the ice surface.
Plastic skate guards should never be left on your skates for extended periods of time. Moisture collected in the grooves of the guards will cause your blades to rust and this will ruin your sharpening.
When taking off your skates, always loosen the laces sufficiently so that you don’t need to force your foot out of the boot. This will prevent the lining of the boot from breaking down unnecessarily.
Always thoroughly dry your blades and boots with a cloth or chamois after each skate.
Always store your skates with cloth blade covers to help prevent your blades from rusting, chipping or damaging your skate bag and its contents.
Never leave your skates in a locker or a bag. This will not allow the skates to dry properly and will cause the boot to become mouldy and/or break down very quickly. Let you skates air dry at room temperature outside of their skating bag.
When your feet perspire, loosen the laces as far as possible, pull out the insoles and let them dry out. This prevents the insoles from getting mouldy and/or sticking to the inside of the boot.
Check your blades routinely to make sure the screws are tight. It is a good idea to keep a screwdriver in your skate bag at all times. As the type of screw varies with different skates, make sure you have the right screwdriver for your particular skates.

Adapted from Figure Skating: What Every Parent Needs To Know complements of Skate Canada

Know Your Skating: Glossary

(Excerpted from Skate Canada)

Singles Skating Terms

Jumps

Waltz Jump: Generally the first rotational jump that skaters learn. The skater takes off from a forward outside edge, completes 1/2 revolution in the air, and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot.

Salchow Jump: A jump in which the skater takes off from the back inside edge of the skating foot, rotates one rotation in the air and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot. Named after its originator, Ulrich Salchow.

Variations: double Salchow, triple Salchow, quadruple Salchow, one foot Salchow
Neat fact: The 1965 World Champion and 1964 World and Olympic bronze medallist Petra Burka became the first woman to complete a triple jump in competition - the triple Salchow - performed at the 1962 Canadian Championships in Toronto, Ontario.

Toe Loop Jump: A toe jump in which the skater takes off from the back outside edge of the skating foot with assistance of the toe of the free foot and turns one rotation in the air, landing on the back outside edge of the take-off foot.

Variations: double toe loop, triple toe loop, quadruple toe loop.
Neat fact: Canadian Kurt Browning was the first skater to complete a quadruple toe loop in competition at the 1988 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

Loop Jump: A jump in which the skater takes off from the back outside edge of the skating foot, turns one rotation in the air and lands on the back outside edge of the take-off foot.

Variations: double loop, triple loop, 1/2 loop (a one rotation jump in which the skater lands on the back inside edge of the opposite foot from take-off)

Flip Jump: A toe jump in which the skater takes off from the back inside edge of the skating foot with assistance from the toe of the free foot, turns one rotation in the air and lands on the back outside edge of the original free foot.

Variations: double flip, triple flip.

Lutz Jump: A toe jump in which the skater takes off from the back outside edge of the skating foot with assistance of the free foot toe, rotates in the reverse direction one rotation in the air and lands on the back outside edge of the opposite foot.

Variations: double Lutz, triple Lutz.
Neat fact: 1962 - Donald Jackson completes first-ever triple Lutz in competition.

Spins

There are three main categories of spins:

the upright spin
the camel spin
the sit spin

There are many variations within each of these categories.

Upright Spin: A spin where a skater's body stays more or less vertical to the ice. This category includes one-foot spins, backspins, cross foot spins, and the layback spin. The layback spin is a spin primarily performed by female skaters (though more men are performing this difficult spin today) where the back is arched and the free leg is drawn up slightly.

Variations include the Bielman position (the skater catches the blade of the free foot in their hands and pulls the free-leg up over their head) and sideways leaning spin in which the skater arches to one side while maintaining an upright position.

Sit Spin: As the name indicates a sit spin is classified as any spin in which the skater's body is located close to the ice and the skating knee is bent to allow the skater to appear to be 'sitting'.

Variations include flying sit, flying change sit, sit change sit spin and more.

Camel Spin: A spin position in which the skater's body is horizontal to the ice except for the leg on which they are spinning.

Variations on this spin include a flying camel (change foot in air prior to start of spin) and death-drop (a dramatic flying entry). To increase the difficulty of a camel spin skaters will often perform a forward camel spin on an outside edge, or a back camel on an inside edge. Arm and leg position variations also increase the difficulty of spins and can be very effective from an aesthetic standpoint.

Synchronized Skating Terms

Assisted Jump: A jump of not more than one (1) revolution, in which a skater(s) provides passive assistance to another skater(s) in a non-supportive role. The take off must be done by the skater who jumps. In this action there is a continuous ascending and descending movement. The hands of the skater(s) providing the passive assistance must not be raised higher than the shoulders.

Configuration (Arrangement/Form): A configuration is the arrangement and/or form of the element. A change in arrangement means that the skaters must change the members beside whom they skate. A change in form means that the number of lines in an element must change (e.g. block).

Dance Jump: A small jump or a rotational type movement of not more than one-half (1/2) revolution during which both feet leave the ice.

Free Skating Movements: Free Skating movements such as lunges, spirals, Ina Bauers, spread eagles.

Highlighting: An element in which a skater(s) performs a movement in isolation that is distracting from the performance of the rest of the team.

Jumps: A rotational type of movement of at least one (1) turn during which both feet leave the ice. Jumps of not more than one (1) revolution are permitted.

Lifts in Synchronized Skating: An action in which skater(s) is elevated to any height and set down. During the action, the lifting skater(s) must not raise both hands higher than their head. Any rotations and/or positions and changes of positions during the lift are permitted except sitting or lying on the lifting skater(s) shoulder or back. The lifting skater may rotate but not more than one and a half revolutions. Lifts should enhance the music chosen and express its character, but not be a display of acrobatics. These lifts are permitted in senior free skating only. Acrobatic lifts are defined as moves in which the skater is held by the blade(s), foot (feet), leg(s), or arm(s) and swung around or any lift where the lifted skater(s) is in a vertical sustained position with the head down. These or other such actions which display sheer feats of strength are not permitted.

Movements in Isolation: Movements in isolation are elements where some skaters are isolated from the rest of the team. These movements must show a relationship to the overall elements and enhance the musical interpretation. Movements in isolation (provided these movements are not illegal movements) such as short spins, jumps, spirals etc. and other unique or innovative movements are allowed in free skating only.

Moves in the Field: This is a sequence of movements which may include spirals, arabesques, spread eagles, Ina Bauers and flowing moves with strong edges, which can be connected with linking steps and step sequences.

Spin: A spinning movement with more than one revolution performed on one foot on the spot.

Spiral: A spiral is a glide on long edges in arabesque position in which the free leg is held equal to or higher than hip levels.

Step Sequence: A combination/series of different turns and steps such as three turns, brackets, counters, rockers, mohawks, choctaws, changes of edge, chasses, etc.

Sub-grouping: A subordinate or smaller group(s) without close relationship to the rest of the team: a division of the team into several smaller groups.

Transition: A passage between elements. In the Short Program, transitions necessary to link the required elements are permitted provided they cover less than half of the ice surface.

Twizzle: A traveling turn on one foot with one or more rotations which is quickly rotated with a continuous (uninterrupted) action. The weight remains on the skating foot with the free foot in any position during the turn then placed beside the skating foot to skate the next step.