Figure Skating Foundations: 100 Essential Videos for Beginner Skaters in 20 Lessons

Five Important Things to Remember When You Step Onto the Ice

In figure skating, the intricacies of ankle movements play a crucial role in maintaining balance and executing graceful elements. The ability to bend the ankles allows skaters to absorb the impact upon landing jumps and to transition smoothly between various positions.

During dips, skaters lower their center of gravity, relying on strong ankle flexion to create fluidity and depth in their movements.

Weight transfer is essential for maintaining stability in skating. It helps skaters balance while executing various moves, enhancing overall control.

Marching exercises encourage coordination and core engagement, critical for beginner skaters as they learn to maintain stability.

The two-foot glide promotes confidence in maintaining balance and transitioning smoothly on the ice.

Skaters, both beginners and experienced, often fall on ice. Learning to fall safely and get up properly can prevent injuries and boost confidence. Regular practice of these skills helps skaters handle falls better, reduces the fear of falling, and improves their overall performance and enjoyment.

Weight shift and beginner slalom exercises are essential for developing balance, agility, and control in figure skating. These drills help skaters understand how to distribute their weight properly while maneuvering through various positions, which is crucial for executing jumps and spins. Slalom exercises focus on lateral movements, which improve coordination and enable skaters to navigate tighter spaces with confidence.

Marching builds balance, coordination, and comfort on ice, teaching rhythm and tempo for complex elements. The two-foot glide boosts confidence, stability, and balance while preparing for advanced techniques through weight distribution skills. The dip improves posture, strengthens leg muscles, enhances flexibility, and aids transitions. Together, these foundational skills enable skaters to progress safely to advanced techniques and performances.

The two-foot glide on a circle is an essential skill in ice skating that helps develop balance, stability, and control. This exercise enhances your ability to maintain balance while moving, encourages proper body alignment, and prepares skaters for more advanced techniques like one-foot glides or turns. Practicing the two-foot glide regularly can significantly boost confidence and improve overall skating performance.

Backward wiggles and the backward two-foot glide are essential skills in figure skating that enhance balance, control, and overall skating technique. Mastering these skills improves a skater's ability to navigate backward with confidence, strengthens leg muscles, and lays the foundation for more advanced maneuvers, ultimately contributing to a more versatile skating repertoire.

The forward one foot glide on a straight line is a fundamental skill in figure skating that enhances balance and control. Practicing this glide helps skaters develop their stability and strength, as well as improves their confidence in executing more complex moves in their routines.

A two-foot turn in place is a fundamental skating move where the skater rotates 180 degrees on the ice while maintaining their balance on both feet. This move aids in developing essential balance and control, as it requires skaters to coordinate their body movements effectively. Practicing the two-foot turn enhances a skater's ability to navigate turns easily during routines and improves overall agility on the ice, making it a crucial building block for more advanced elements.

Backward swizzles are a fundamental skating skill that helps figure skaters develop balance, control, and power in their backward glide. Practicing backward swizzles enhances coordination and strengthens the muscles needed for more complex backward maneuvers, ultimately improving a skater's overall performance on the ice.

The forward one foot swizzle on a circle is an essential skill for figure skaters, as it helps develop balance, control, and the ability to transition smoothly between different skating elements. Practicing the forward one foot swizzle on a circle enhances a skater's agility and prepares them for more complex movements, making it a vital addition to their training repertoire.

The moving forward to backward two-foot turn on a circle is a fundamental skill in figure skating that enhances balance and control. Mastering this maneuver improves a skater's ability to maintain stability during turns and develops muscle memory for more advanced techniques. Additionally, it contributes to overall coordination, which is essential for executing a variety of figure skating elements.

The backward snowplow stop is a key figure skating technique for stopping safely while skating backward. This move helps skaters stay in control and smoothly switch to other skills or stop before a turn or jump. Learning the backward snowplow stop improves balance and confidence on the ice, making it an important skill for all skaters.

The backward two-foot glide on a circle is an essential skill for figure skaters, promoting balance and control while skating in a continuous motion. Mastering this skill builds confidence and increases overall edge control, which are vital components in figure skating.

Gliding backward in a dip or squad position is an essential skill in figure skating that significantly benefits a skater's development. This posture encourages the proper bending of the ankles, which helps build strength and flexibility in the lower limbs. As skaters maintain this position, they enhance their balance and control, key components needed for executing a sit spin.

The backward one foot glide on a straight line is a fundamental skill in figure skating that enhances balance, control, and confidence on the ice. This glide not only helps improve your ability to maintain balance while on one foot, but it also serves as a building block for more advanced techniques, such as spins and jumps. Practicing this skill contributes to overall strength, flexibility, and coordination, making it an essential component of a skater's training regimen.

The forward outside one foot glide on a circle is an essential skill in figure skating that helps skaters develop balance, control, and the ability to maintain proper body alignment. This exercise not only helps skaters become comfortable with gliding on one foot but also reinforces the fundamental principles of edges, which are crucial for executing more complex maneuvers.

The forward inside one foot glide on a circle serves as an essential preparation for mastering edges in skating. This exercise helps improve balance, control, and the ability to shift weight effectively, all of which are crucial for executing complex edge work in skating. By developing a solid foundation with the one foot glide, skaters can enhance their overall technique and confidence on the ice, leading to more advanced skills in jumps, spins, and footwork patterns.

Forward crossovers are a fundamental skill in figure skating that enhances speed, power, and agility. Forward crossovers are essential for transitioning between circles and increasing speed in routines. Regular practice of forward crossovers will contribute to overall skating performance and fluidity in movement.

Backward one foot swizzles on a circle serve as an essential drill for preparing figure skaters for backward crossovers. By practicing backward one-foot swizzles, skaters develop an awareness of their edge work, improve their ability to shift weight smoothly, and gain confidence in maneuvering around corners. Overall, this foundational skill lays the groundwork for more complex movements in figure skating.

Backward stroking is a fundamental skill in figure skating that requires controlled, strong pushes from the inside edges of the skates. Practicing backward stroking is essential for transitioning between different movements on the ice. It promotes the development of key attributes such as strength, balance, and coordination. By mastering backward stroking, skaters can refine their overall technique and improve their performance across various elements in figure skating.

The backward outside one foot glide on a circle is an essential figure skating element that enhances balance, control, and edge work. Practicing this maneuver not only strengthens the core and leg muscles but also improves the skater’s ability to transition between various elements, making it a critical component of the overall skating technique.

The backward inside one foot glide on a circle is a fundamental figure skating skill that helps develop balance, control, and edge work. Practicing this skill enhances overall skating technique by improving the skater's ability to navigate tight turns and transitions, making it an essential component of both basic and advanced skating routines.

Backward crossovers are a fundamental skill in figure skating that enable skaters to gain speed and maintain fluidity while moving backward. Mastering backward crossovers enhances a skater's agility, balance, and ability to transition smoothly between movements, making it crucial for effective performance in both spins and jumps. Regular practice of this technique not only improves overall skating efficiency but also contributes to a more confident presence on the ice.

The backward to forward two-foot turn on a circle is an essential skill that serves as a foundational exercise for mastering backward three-turns. By integrating this drill into their routine, skaters improve their edge control, develop spatial awareness, and refine their ability to transition between different skating positions, ultimately boosting their overall performance on the ice.

The forward outside three-turn is a logical progression for figure skaters after mastering two-foot turns and one-foot glides on a circle. This maneuver helps skaters develop balance and control while transitioning smoothly between edges. This movement trains skaters to maintain a steady center of gravity and improves edge work, essential for more advanced skills.

The Forward Inside Three-Turn is a natural progression for skaters after mastering the two-foot turn and one-foot glides on a circle. This maneuver not only improves pivoting skills but also strengthens edges and transitions, essential elements in figure skating routines. Mastery of the Forward Inside Three-Turn aids in building confidence and establishes a strong foundation for more complex skills in a skater's repertoire.

The backward outside to forward outside transition on a circle is a crucial movement in figure skating that lays the groundwork for executing jumps, spins, and connecting steps. This transition requires the skater to shift weight smoothly from the back foot to the front foot while maintaining a strong edge on the skate to ensure stability and control. This fluid transition not only enhances overall flow but also improves balance, making it easier to link into subsequent elements gracefully.

The landing position while gliding on a backward outside edge is crucial for the successful exit of jumps and spins in figure skating. Achieving a stable and controlled landing allows the skater to maintain balance and flow into the next move. Practicing controlled glides and transitions after landing can help build muscle memory and confidence, ultimately enhancing overall performance on the ice.

The side toe hop is an essential jump for figure skaters as it serves as a stepping stone to more complex toe jumps. Practicing this jump helps skaters build strength, balance, and coordination, which are critical for mastering the mechanics of toe jumps. Additionally, the side toe hop instills confidence in skaters as they learn to engage their core and maintain proper posture during takeoff and landing, laying a strong foundation for more advanced jumping techniques.

The hockey stop is an essential skill in figure skating that allows skaters to stop quickly and efficiently while maintaining balance and control. This technique is crucial for executing various moves and transitions seamlessly during routines. Mastering this skill not only enhances a skater's performance by enabling swift direction changes, but it also improves overall agility and control on the ice, making it a fundamental component of both practice and competition.

The forward inside pivot is an essential skill in figure skating, particularly as a preparation for beginner spins. This maneuver helps skaters improve their balance, control, and overall understanding of rotational movements on the ice. Practicing the forward inside pivot not only enhances your comfort with turns and spins but also builds a foundational skillset necessary for more complex skating elements in the future.

The mohawk is a crucial element in figure skating that serves as an important connecting step, particularly for crossovers and the initiation of jumps. It allows skaters to maintain flow and control while transitioning between different movements, making it a staple in step sequences. Proper technique not only enhances the smoothness of transitions but also sets the stage for effective and powerful jumps, making the mohawk a fundamental skill in any skater's repertoire.

The T-stop is one of the most graceful and visually appealing stops in figure skating, often employed by skaters during their programs to transition smoothly between movements. The T-stop is favored for its aesthetic qualities, seamlessly integrating into choreography and enhancing the overall flow of the performance.

The forward outside edge on half circles is a fundamental movement in figure skating that serves as an essential preparation for waltz and axel jumps, as well as enhancing the entrance into spins and mastering various turns. Incorporating the forward outside edge on half circles into regular practice builds a solid foundation for more advanced skills, ensuring that skaters can transition smoothly into the more complex elements of their routines.

The forward inside edge on half circles is a crucial exercise in figure skating that helps develop balance, control, and proper body alignment, which are essential for mastering various steps, turns, and the initiation of spins and jumps. Regular practice of the forward inside edge on half circles fosters the necessary skills to execute clean and precise movements required in advanced skating techniques.