How to Do Basic Figure Skating Techniques

You want to ice skate like the pros but you don't know the first thing about how to navigate the rink without looking like a novice or falling on your face. Read on to learn some basic figure skating techniques that will lead you toward a more confident and graceful entry onto the ice.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Beginner's Steps

1. Step onto the ice and hold onto the railing. Gradually let go and stand without support. Slide along the ice and twist your ankles a little to get a feel for how the edges of the blades grasp the ice.

2. Push off with body straight and your head up, knees slightly bent, and arms relaxed at your side at waist level. Touch your left heel to the instep of your right foot. Bend your knees a bit more and move onto your left foot, digging into the ice with the inside edge of your right skate.

3. Straighten your right leg with the other knee bent and gently slide on your left skate. Raise your right leg behind you and point your toe out and down about an inch or so above the ice, and curve to the left.

4. Lower the right foot to meet the left and slowly skate forward on both skates. Practice this technique until you feel comfortable.

5. Navigate corners by bringing your left foot forward and leaning on the outside edge, crossing your right foot in front of the left in a wide circle. Then, shift your weight to your right foot and lift your left foot off the ice, crossing it over the other foot. Keep your right shoulder forward and your left behind you. Continue until the corner is completed.

6. Learn to stop by using the snow-plough or T-stop technique. Place the heel of your free foot against the other foot to make a T-shape. Lower your free foot when you feel the outside edge of your blade touch the ice. Gradually transfer your weight until you are able to stop.

The Figure-Eight

7. Position your right heel at your left instep. Keep your right shoulder and arm aimed in the same direction as the right foot. Keeping your right knee bent, push off with your right foot, lift your left foot off the ice, and point your toe down and outward.

8. Skate to the right in a circular fashion, and lean into the circle with the outside edge of the right skate. Keeping your ankle, body and leg straight, point your right arm and shoulder into the circle.

9. Turn your shoulders forward halfway around the circle, and pass the left leg over the right leg and straighten it for a moment.

10. To do the figure-eight in reverse, navigate your left skate to the right 45 degrees, push off on your left foot and follow the previous steps.

Tips & Warnings

• Learn to fall the right way. Lift your hands up over your head, bend your knees and sit down.
• When skating on a frozen body of water, be sure that the transparent ice is at least 4 inches deep and frosty ice at least 8 inches deep. Also, look for cracks, indentations or other defective areas that may be cause for concern.
• Never skate alone.

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Resources

• To learn crossover techniques.