Loicia Demougeot (FRA) warms up during the 2022 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - Skate America in Norwood, Massachusetts. @ ISU
It’s summer time, but if you think that Skaters are just relaxing on the beach, you are wrong. It is during the summer actually that the athletes lay the foundation for the next competitive season. Let’s have a look at what they are doing to stay fit.
Building up stamina is an important point. For Figure Skating, you need to be able to go through your four-minute program (or 3:30 for Juniors) packed with elements and choreography at high speed. One good method is skating with a parachute as German Pair Skater Annika Hocke demonstrates in her cardio session on the ice.
“We did a 30/30 circuit, so we went with the parachute clockwise forward. Then we had a 30 seconds break and went 30 seconds backwards clockwise with the parachute. We had another 30 seconds break and then did the same counter clockwise,” Annika shares. After a pause of one minute, she and her partner Robert Kunkel repeated that circuit for three times. “You can do whatever you want with the parachute, it will be super hard and a super good exercise”, the 2023 European bronze medalist explains. The parachute can also be used for training out of the rink. Try to run with it under windy conditions and you will see why it is a very effective workout.
In the gym, Skaters are alternating between cardio and strength exercises such as squats, jumps and weights. “Especially in the summer, you should not forget your abs, it looks also good on the beach”, says ISU World competitor Nikita Starostin of Germany jokingly. Some, like Switzerland’s 2023 European bronze medalist Kimmy Repond, opt for an outdoor training, allowing to enjoy a little bit the warm weather while working out.
Korea’s 2023 ISU Four Continents silver medalist Yelim Kim notes how important the stretching and warm-up parts are before each on- and off-ice training session to prevent injuries. She also includes in her daily training routine balance exercises as they build core muscles and enhance reaction speed. Training with a harness off the ice is another frequent technique used by Figure Skaters “to find the right axis and rotation for the jumps”, as described by Yelim Kim. The 2023 European bronze medalist Lukas Britschgi (SUI) is keen on using the same approach to fine-tune his jumps and spins.
In addition, Skaters often attend training camps at altitude during the summer. Working out at higher altitude can help improving endurance and breathing, which are significant for the ability to deliver strong and fluid performances from the beginning to the end of the program. These special camps focus on athletic training with running and jumping exercises to improve reaction time and speed of rotation. Exercises are also sometimes performed in groups, creating dynamic and fun trainings.
On the ice, besides building new programs, the focus is on improving skating skills, learning new jumps, lifts, spins or getting these elements consistent. Skaters are then looking forward to showing on the ice everything they have worked hard on during the summer.
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