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Figure Skating Techniques

Learn how to do basic beginning skating moves. Learn how to stop, jump, spin, turn, and learn other figure skating techniques.
Figure Skating Techniques
Do you want to be a figure skater? This article will help a new skater learn how to do some ice skating moves. Some of the elements in this article include directions on how to fall, stop, skate forward, jump, and spin on the ice.
How to Fall and Get Up on Figure Skates
Knowing how to fall and get up correctly on skates is essential for all figure skaters.
Fall on the Ice Without Getting Hurt
No one wants to fall while ice skating, but if you are going to skate, you are going to fall. How can a figure skater, especially an adult who doesn't want to fall, fall safely? This article addresses this issue.
How to Do a Snowplow Stop
Stopping on the ice is essential for every figure skater. This is the first and easiest stop a skater must master.
A Lesson on Forward Swizzles
Forward swizzles are done by beginning ice skaters. Swizzles help figure skaters learn how to use their knees and edges. Swizzles also help skaters learn to glide. This step-by-step tutorial will help new figure skaters master forward swizzles.
Before You Try to Skate Backwards
Before trying to skate backward, it is a good idea to practice walking backward and gliding for a short distance on figure skates. This exercise will help beginning figure skaters become comfortable with the feeling of moving backward on ice skates.
How to Do a One Foot Glide on Ice Skates
Gliding on one foot on ice skates is a basic figure skating move that all figure skaters must learn and master. This short article outlines the basic steps involved in doing a one-foot glide.
How to Move Forward on Ice Skates
This article will help teach beginning skaters how to move forward on the ice.
A Lesson on Forward Crossovers
Crossovers are the way skaters move around corners and the ends of a rink. Mastering forward crossovers make a figure skater better and faster.
A Lesson on Backward Swizzles
This step-by-step tutorial will help new figure skaters master back swizzles.
How to Do Back Crossovers or Cutbacks on Ice Skates
New ice skaters can't wait to try back crossovers. This step by step tutorial shows some back crossover basics.
Step by Step Instructions on Doing a Spiral
Get step by step instructions on how to do an easy skating move where the free leg and back are horizontal to the ice.
How to Do an Attitude
An Attitude is a beautiful figure skating move that comes right from ballet. This article gives simple directions on how to do the move.
How to Do a Lunge
The lunge is a figure skating move that resembles fencing posture. This tutorial gives step-by-step directions on how to do a lunge.
How to Do a Shoot the Duck
A shoot the duck is a fun ice skating move where the skater bends all the way down to the ice and glides on one foot while kicking the other foot completely forward. Directions on how to do the shoot the duck on ice are given in this article.
How to Do a Spread Eagle
A spread eagle is a figure skating move where a skater glides on two feet with the toes pointing in opposite directions. The legs are completely straight and spread apart. This step-by-step tutorial gives directions on how to do a spread eagle.
How to Spin
Learning to spin is not easy, but is so much fun!
How Do Figure Skaters Spin Fast?
How do figure skaters spin fast? This short article addresses this question.
Figure Skating Footwork Sequences
When figure skaters put a series of turns and steps together, they are doing footwork. The possibilities are endless. This article lists some suggested footwork sequences that can be skated by a figure skater who is able to do most ice skating turns and steps.
How to Do a Camel Spin
A camel spin is a figure skating spin that is done with the same body position as the spiral (arabesque). This tutorial shows the basic steps required to do a camel spin.
How to Do a Layback Spin
A layback spin is a beautiful figure skating move. Most ice skaters can master this spin with practice.
How to Do an Axel Jump
The axel jump may be the hardest jump for many figure skaters. Once ice skaters master an axel, the double jumps come quickly. This short article outlines some steps that will help a figure skater master an axel jump.
Figure Skating Practice Plan
Many ice skaters have a difficult time figuring out how to practice. This is a recommended practice plan for a figure skater who is already able to do basic stroking, turns, and some jumps and spins.
Choreograph Your Own Figure Skating Routine
You've worked hard on mastering a number of figure skating moves; now it’s time to set a program to music.
In Which Direction Should a Skater Jump and Spin?
Most skaters jump and spin in the counter-clockwise direction, but some skaters do moves in the clockwise direction. How does a skater determine which way to do figure skating moves?
What Is the Difference Between Ice Dancing and Pairs Skating?
Ice dancing and pair skating have similarities, but they are two very different figure skating disciplines.
Figure Skating Moves on Ice Hockey Skates
It is possible to do some figure skating moves on ice hockey skates. This is a list some of those moves. Tips on how to do figure skating moves on ice hockey skates are included in this article.
Figure Skating With Carlo Fassi
Figure Skating With Carlo Fassi is a book that includes instructions on jumping and spinning for all levels of figure skating.
Ask a Question About Figure Skating
Expert volunteers answer questions about anything related to figure skating at this About.com link.
All About Spread Eagles
This article, published on IceNetwork.com, explains what spread eagles are, how to do spread eagles, and more.
Figure Skating Secrets
This resource is designed to teach all basic concepts of figure skating. Information on equipment, basic skating, edges, turns, ice dances, figures, spins, jumps, and connecting moves are included.
Ice Skating Instructional Videos By Dmitri Olympiev
Dmitri Olympiev, a coach at Pines Ice Arena in Florida, has put together a series of free online instructional ice skating videos. Included are how to do forward and backward swizzles, how to stop, gliding on one foot, forward and backward stroking, forward and backward crossovers, three turns, mohawks, edges, and spins.
What Are All Those Skating Moves?
This link will help you recognize all the different figure skating elements. It is from Don Korte's FIGURE SKATING WEBSITE.
Techniques From Figure Skating Journal
Most of the basic moves of figure skating are listed and described at this link by an adult figure skater named Kay.
Figure Skating Terms
A figure skating coach in Tacoma, Washington, named Danette, has put together a short list of some basic figure skating terms and information.
Skating Ahead of the Curve
Figure skating coach Cheryl Richardson has developed this site. It is devoted to exploring questions surrounding training of figure skaters.
Figure Skating Tips and Clips
Dave Curtis shares some very good basic figure skating tips at this link.
Learn About the Jumps
This is a section from "SoYouWanna Learn the Basics of Figure Skating?" This source outlines and explains each ice skating jump in detail.
"Gerry in Oz" Ice and Roller Skating
"Gerry in Oz" has put together a very complete site that includes information about both ice and roller figure skating.

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