I’m new to figure skating and would like to become a competitive skater. What can I expect?
There have been a lot of threads started recently asking variations on this question. I thought it might be a good idea to have a general thread to give newcomers some context about what they might be able to achieve.
It’s impossible to predict how far any given beginner might be able to progress without knowing details, because everyone is different. And long-term predictions always have question marks because situations can change.
If you want advice about your specific situation after reading this thread, start your own thread to tell us what your background and access to practice ice and lessons will be like.
First of all, if you’re looking at the elite skaters you see on TV and wondering if you can achieve that, the answer is probably No.
It takes many years of very intense training starting from a young age to achieve that level of comfort on the ice -- skating with deep smooth edges, power and flow, executing difficult moves and making it all look easy. The younger you start, while neural pathways are still forming, the more natural skating movement and balance over the blades will come to you for the rest of your skating life. The smaller you are when you start learning double and maybe triple jumps, the better. And it takes years of training before you to get to that point.
Even for skaters who start as preteens it is rare to reach senior level. Those who start as younger teenagers and ever reach elite levels can probably be counted on one hand. So if your age is already in double digits before you start out, you should plan to set more realistic goals.
If you are a young child, or the parent of one, who aspires to become an elite skater, know that training for serious competition soon becomes an expensive, full-time commitment. Each family needs to decide for themselves how much time, money, etc., they can invest in a child’s skating career so they can set appropriate goals.
Fortunately, for those of us who are able to skate at least once or twice a week, there are other options for enjoying the sport and in many cases to enter competitions in appropriate categories for our age and skill level.
The more hours you can spend on the ice practicing and taking lessons, the faster you will progress. Group lessons are often a better value financially for beginners, but private instruction usually leads to quicker progress. Many serious beginners continue with both for a while, until they move beyond the skill levels offered in the local classes.
Look into what is available near you in terms of training both for beginners and for advanced skaters if you plan to aim for higher levels. Options can vary widely by country as well as from one local area to another.
Options for competing also differ within different countries.
If you live in an area with lots of rinks and local competitions, you’ll have it easier than someone who would need to travel.
Serious competitive skaters usually practice 5 or 6 days a week for several hours each day and work with a coach (or multiple coaches) several times a week, generally starting before they reach the double jump level. It’s not possible to learn good technique without good coaching, and it’s not possible to practice without access to ice time -- not on crowded public sessions. So the more lessons and practices you take, the better you can learn to skate, but the costs will quickly add up before you even think about the costs of entering competitions.
There are probably 3 rough categories of skating commitment:
That’s where most kids get stuck, even the ones who started as preschoolers and skated almost every day with lessons from good coaches. The average skater will never master a double axel or any triples no matter how good their training and work ethic. Those skills depend as much on body type (height, weight, muscle fiber composition) as on technique.
For the rare skater who has strong basic skating skills and the right body type to master higher jumps:
3. Elite competitor: Continue with the serious training, including off-ice work, specialist coaches, and travel to appropriate
high-level competitions, and hope to place well enough to qualify for national and international competition.
Ice dance and especially synchronized skating are more forgiving of different body types and later starters. But they require even stronger basic skating skills at the top levels. And for female aspiring ice dancers, there aren’t enough male partners to go around and girls have to be light enough to be lifted.
What factors will increase your chances of success?
*The more hours you can skate every week
*Starting lessons early on with a good technical coach who works well with skaters of your age and skill level
*The younger you start, the better
*Small, light, muscular body type, with lots of quick-twitch muscle fibers for jumping -- you can train to optimize your body weight, muscle strength, and flexibility, but you can only work with what nature gave you
*Male skaters usually have a much easier time with jumps than female skaters; females tend to do better with flexibility moves -- but every body is different and training emphasis has an effect
*Previous experience training in dance or other sports especially those that rely on precise body awareness will help a lot
*Good balance -- how long can you stand on one foot off ice? -- and good knee bend
*Daring -- are you comfortable moving at high speeds, and falling down a lot?
*Patience to practice the same skills over and over again without getting discouraged when progress is slow or seems to go backward at times
Now, if you start a thread to tell us which advantages or disadvantages you’re starting with, and where you live (which country you live in, how close to an ice rink and what kind of programs that rink offers -- no need to get any more specific), more experienced posters can give advice on how to get started and what might be reasonable short- and long-term goals for you to aim for.
There have been a lot of threads started recently asking variations on this question. I thought it might be a good idea to have a general thread to give newcomers some context about what they might be able to achieve.
It’s impossible to predict how far any given beginner might be able to progress without knowing details, because everyone is different. And long-term predictions always have question marks because situations can change.
If you want advice about your specific situation after reading this thread, start your own thread to tell us what your background and access to practice ice and lessons will be like.
First of all, if you’re looking at the elite skaters you see on TV and wondering if you can achieve that, the answer is probably No.
It takes many years of very intense training starting from a young age to achieve that level of comfort on the ice -- skating with deep smooth edges, power and flow, executing difficult moves and making it all look easy. The younger you start, while neural pathways are still forming, the more natural skating movement and balance over the blades will come to you for the rest of your skating life. The smaller you are when you start learning double and maybe triple jumps, the better. And it takes years of training before you to get to that point.
Even for skaters who start as preteens it is rare to reach senior level. Those who start as younger teenagers and ever reach elite levels can probably be counted on one hand. So if your age is already in double digits before you start out, you should plan to set more realistic goals.
If you are a young child, or the parent of one, who aspires to become an elite skater, know that training for serious competition soon becomes an expensive, full-time commitment. Each family needs to decide for themselves how much time, money, etc., they can invest in a child’s skating career so they can set appropriate goals.
Fortunately, for those of us who are able to skate at least once or twice a week, there are other options for enjoying the sport and in many cases to enter competitions in appropriate categories for our age and skill level.
The more hours you can spend on the ice practicing and taking lessons, the faster you will progress. Group lessons are often a better value financially for beginners, but private instruction usually leads to quicker progress. Many serious beginners continue with both for a while, until they move beyond the skill levels offered in the local classes.
Look into what is available near you in terms of training both for beginners and for advanced skaters if you plan to aim for higher levels. Options can vary widely by country as well as from one local area to another.
Options for competing also differ within different countries.
If you live in an area with lots of rinks and local competitions, you’ll have it easier than someone who would need to travel.
Serious competitive skaters usually practice 5 or 6 days a week for several hours each day and work with a coach (or multiple coaches) several times a week, generally starting before they reach the double jump level. It’s not possible to learn good technique without good coaching, and it’s not possible to practice without access to ice time -- not on crowded public sessions. So the more lessons and practices you take, the better you can learn to skate, but the costs will quickly add up before you even think about the costs of entering competitions.
There are probably 3 rough categories of skating commitment:
- Recreational: Skate a couple hours a week, take group lessons or one private lesson a week. Work up to single jumps, maybe pass some tests and/or compete at lower levels. After several years you might be ready to start learning beginning double jumps, but don’t expect them to come easily without more ice time.
- Semi-serious: Skate several days every week, several hours per day, with several lessons per week. Work on developing well-rounded skating skills, pass tests, and enter competitions at lower and middle levels, trying to be the best you can at each level. If you’re young and fit and put in the time, you might be ready to start trying double jumps in 1-2 years after getting serious. After 5 years or so of hard work, you might be ready to start working on double axels.
That’s where most kids get stuck, even the ones who started as preschoolers and skated almost every day with lessons from good coaches. The average skater will never master a double axel or any triples no matter how good their training and work ethic. Those skills depend as much on body type (height, weight, muscle fiber composition) as on technique.
For the rare skater who has strong basic skating skills and the right body type to master higher jumps:
3. Elite competitor: Continue with the serious training, including off-ice work, specialist coaches, and travel to appropriate
high-level competitions, and hope to place well enough to qualify for national and international competition.
Ice dance and especially synchronized skating are more forgiving of different body types and later starters. But they require even stronger basic skating skills at the top levels. And for female aspiring ice dancers, there aren’t enough male partners to go around and girls have to be light enough to be lifted.
What factors will increase your chances of success?
*The more hours you can skate every week
*Starting lessons early on with a good technical coach who works well with skaters of your age and skill level
*The younger you start, the better
*Small, light, muscular body type, with lots of quick-twitch muscle fibers for jumping -- you can train to optimize your body weight, muscle strength, and flexibility, but you can only work with what nature gave you
*Male skaters usually have a much easier time with jumps than female skaters; females tend to do better with flexibility moves -- but every body is different and training emphasis has an effect
*Previous experience training in dance or other sports especially those that rely on precise body awareness will help a lot
*Good balance -- how long can you stand on one foot off ice? -- and good knee bend
*Daring -- are you comfortable moving at high speeds, and falling down a lot?
*Patience to practice the same skills over and over again without getting discouraged when progress is slow or seems to go backward at times
Now, if you start a thread to tell us which advantages or disadvantages you’re starting with, and where you live (which country you live in, how close to an ice rink and what kind of programs that rink offers -- no need to get any more specific), more experienced posters can give advice on how to get started and what might be reasonable short- and long-term goals for you to aim for.
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