Category: Ice Skating

Nothing beats the feeling when you finish your routine at a competition you have been working towards for months. You take a deep breath, you smile and suddenly all the pressure disappears. Your body fills with relief as you curtsey to the judges and step off the ice.

The world of figure skating affects my life in many ways. It puts me through many emotions, has built me special relationships, disturbs my sleep pattern but most importantly it has helped me grow as an individual and that’s why I love it. I have been skating for roughly seven years which is almost half my life. It has taught me many skills and gave me many personality traits which I will keep with me forever and will use throughout my life.

First of all, figure skating has made an improvement to my self-confidence. I find it very daunting putting myself out in front of hundreds of people during competitions. I can feel every single pair of eyes watching my every move. Not to mention the five judges and technical panel, this also includes a camera following me for the judges to examine my skating techniques. However, each time I compete I become more confident and more self-accepting of my mistakes. I embrace my failures to work even harder to improve my performance for next time.

Also, figure skating has made me a very determined person. I set my own targets that maximize my ability to challenge myself mentally and physically and work hard to achieve them. I feel extremely relieved and uplifted when I finally achieve my target and finally land that new jump or learn a new spin. This has a spiralling effect and overall improves my skating as a sudden burst of confidence overcomes me. This is vital for me as I often have a lack of self-belief in my own ability which often gets me quite emotional. I have found that this determination has carried on outside the ice rink to the classroom. My recent successful prelim results are a result of the determination and target setting skills I gained through my ongoing skating career.

Skating has also taught me discipline. As expected, there are rules and guidelines in skating we need to follow and again as expected, if we do not follow these there are consequences. Unfortunately, skaters learn this the hard way. If you do not point your toe, fully rotate a jump, do enough revolutions in a spin you are punished for it. It is really disheartening when you look at your score sheet after a competition and see all the deductions from silly, careless mistakes. Not getting the score you hoped for after trying so hard fills my veins with regret and disappointment. I wish that I could go back in time and do it all over again. But, after taking time to analyse and criticise my performance I fix those mistakes for next time. I have come to accept that as human beings we cannot execute everything absolutely perfectly all the time and that it is okay to make mistakes.

I have also gained some leadership skills during my time spent on the ice. On Saturdays I volunteer to help out teaching the younger kids at the ‘learn to skate’ classes. I help assist young kids from the age of approximately four years old and onwards. It fulfils me to know that through helping, I am giving something back to the people who taught me how to skate and that these kids that are just starting their skating journey look up to me as a role model.

This also opens up the opportunity for a possibility of becoming a coach in the future which will provide me with an income while I am at university for example. It also gives me a responsibility for others and makes me think and take action fast in difficult situations. I have become a very committed person due to dedicating a huge part of my life to this sport. I have to make logical and some difficult choices to balance my social life and my time training. My early morning starts are usually around five AM and interfere with my time spent with my friends and my sleep pattern. It means I have to give up time with friends to get home and go to bed early. The early mornings can be particularly physically and mentally demanding, especially the mornings I train before starting school.

I have built many special relationships during my time as a skater. It has expanded my circle of friends as when I attend competitions all over the United Kingdom I get the chance to meet new people. I also have a close bond with my coaches. Sometimes they are extremely tough on me but I know it is because they are aware of my full potential and want the best for me. Spending time with them has helped me to build relationships and respect people from a variety of age groups which I feel will also benefit me when I enter the workplace.

I believe that figure skating is a major factor on shaping the person I am today and the person I may become in the future. It has gifted me with various life skills and special memories that I know I will keep with me forever.

One September afternoon four years ago, my mother made a decision that I will live with for the rest of my life. She had enrolled me into a skate club. There, at this cold indoor rink of a home, I would soon be indulged in this art and sport. Since I was in grade-school, I loved dance, and I also loved gymnastics. The idea of being able to move freely across the ice as the wind rubbed against my skin drove my passion. Skating combines artistic and physical requirements in a way that no other sport does. It has the athleticism of gymnastics and the artistry of dance.

What makes this sport have the ability to make me lose track of all time? Skating is truly breathtaking in the magnitude of the skills one has to grasp, remarkable in the extent of detail it can be pursued, unbelievable in its capacity to free one’s self. As soon as I start to glide, the wind pushes against me and it is like I’m flying. It is such a unique feeling that I have never felt any other time. The moment I step on the ice, it is like I can feel and hear every beat of my heart. The cold calming breeze that calms my nerves, it allows me to let loose, get caught up in the moment and forget everything off the ice.

Every winter, I sit down on the couch, kick back and watch the Grand Prix of figure skating. I just love watching how the music is interpreted by each skater, I can see the different ways people express themselves on the ice. Each skater has their own way of drawing you into their performance with that special spark. I find it captivating how I am able to have a hold of a skater’s character only from a single performance. Skating allows athletes to truly express themselves in any way they want. The moment my blade touches the ice, I am free to be whoever I want; a rockstar, a cowboy, whatever it may be, it’s possible.

And the possibility of learning something new is astonishing. You gain the ability to set goals for yourselves and work towards them. You gain the ability to achieve them and reset them higher than they were before. Before you even get out there, it teaches you a lot about life. The same way life is like a rollercoaster, skating is too. There will undoubtedly be people who want to see you rise, but there will also be the people who want to see you fall. In skating, although you literally fall, you have to pick yourself up and keep going. You cannot look back, or regret that you fell, all you can do is get up and carry on. You face this problem everyday whether it be in your life or in skating. How you handle these mistakes is how you succeed.

While I am on the ice, I am constantly motivated. It pushes me to the limit, scares me, and motivates all at the same time. There is no “perfect” in figure skating. I can always spin faster, jump higher, there is always something to work on. I constantly have to learn to make adjustments in order to move forward whether that be the angle of my turn or the take off of my jump. Skating finds a new way to teach something new. Although I make these adjustments, I have learned that I cannot control everything that happens no matter how hard I work. Maybe I step on a loose ice chip on the ice. The only thing I can do is make the most of it.

For more information on figure skating, I usually turn to any one of my coaches. They teach me new skills and show me what skating has to offer. How fascinating is it that this one sport can make your body go wild and make you feel like you could do anything? There is always something to learn with the freedom of being in your own bubble. You’re an artist creating a skating canvas for people to interpret in their own way, it’s unlike any other. It is a passion I have that I will one day want to share with everyone around me.

Synchronized Skating has been going on for approximately 60 years and has become a successful sport. Synchronized skating is now practiced around the world. It can be seen used as an act of performance in Disneyland, world synchronized championship, classes given in colleges and many more. Before synchronized was created, there was only figure skating which is also popular around the world. Figure skating is most popular in the Winter Olympic Games where figure skaters from around the world compete. Synchronized skating is not in the Winter Olympics Games due to not favorable with the public interests. Surprisingly, there are roughly about 600 synchronized teams that are recorded with the United States figure skating. (usfsa,2019). There are approximately 14 level of in synchronized skating due to the ages and ability levels of the team associates. Synchronized skating is a team which consists of 8-20 skaters who all perform together being in synced. Synchronized skating consists of dancing, skating in singles and pair skating. Synchronized skating consists of forms, speed, coordination and formation. There also elements in synchronized skating known as intersections, blocks, circles, lines, wheels, spins and moves with a partner. (usfsa,2019). Surprisingly, synchronized skating has become popular around the world. Countries like, the United States, Canada, Russia, Finland, Japan, Sweden, Austria and Croatia all have teams that practice and compete in the world synchronized championship. However, before going in any skating field, the most important factor for the skating participants to have is to be in physical shape. All skaters need to have stamina and physical strength in order to join any skating field. There are also positive traits of ice skating, which it has many health benefits.

Originally, synchronized skating was first mentioned in “in 1838 by the Oxford Skating Society in England. Synchronized was called “combined figure skating”” (Synchro, 2017). The first synchronized skating team was created by Dr. Richard Porter in 1956. The team was given the name the “Hockettes” (SDFSC-Enews). According to the article “8 things you should know about history of synchro”, “The team entertained the audience during the intermissions of the local hockey team’s game. Throughout the 1960’s, teams began forming in USA and Canada as in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Ontario and Quebec” (Synchro, 2017). The first national championships was planned and prepared by Canada in the year of 1983. According to the article, “the first U.S. Figure Skating Association national precision Championships followed one year later. By 1987, Japan and Australia had become the first non-North American countries participating in international precision skating competition” (Synchro, 2017).

The International Skating Union gave its acknowledgement as a special area of figure skating in the year of 1994. The International Union also began approving “international competitions, with fifteen countries participating. In 1996 the first ISU World Precision Challenge Cup was held in Boston, Massachusetts” (Synchro, 2017). In the year of 1998, the International Skating Union “changed the of “precision skating”. Synchronized skating became the official name of the sport, a more internationally understood term” (Synchro, 2017). The city to host the first synchronized world championships “were held in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2000, with twenty-one teams from seventeen countries competing” (Synchro, 2017). Also, “The Sweden Team Surprise is the most crowned team in the world. The formation created in 1985 and had won six gold medals since 2000” (Synchro, 2017).

Synchronized skating is still not part of the Olympic games, however, there is a high chance for synchronized skating to become a part of the Olympic games. According to SDFSC-Enews, “in the 2000s, although not currently an Olympic Sport, fans and participants of this fast-growing discipline have begun to strive for recognition by the rest of the skating and athletic world. In 2007, synchronized skating took one step closer to Olympic contention when it was selected to be part of the Universiade or World University Games as a demonstration sport. Countries from around the world competed in Torino, Italy with Sweden, Finland, and Russia coming out on top. Synchronized skating has already been reviewed for Olympic eligibility” (SDFSC-E-news).

As mentioned above about the history and present of synchronized skating, this sport also includes and requires a well fit and healthy life style of the participants. A study was conducted by Laura E. Fischer, Lynn A. Darby, Amy L. Morgan and David A. Tobar in which they use “field tests to describe the physical characteristics and synchronized skaters and to determine the relationships between these physiological characteristics and skating abilities” (Lynn, Darby, Morgan & David, 2016). According to the article “Physiological Characteristics of Youth Synchronized Skaters”, “Anthropometric data were collected and field tests (sit-and-reach, vertical jump, hexagon, on-min-sit-ups, one-min modified pushups, timed wall sit, and one-mile walk/run) were performed during off-ice fitness classes as part of synchronized skating camps” (Lynn, Darby, Morgan & David, 2016). These tests helped determine which participants was on the higher level and lower level. According to the article, “Participants were divided into advanced (ADV) …” intermediate and above”…and Beginner (BEG)… “juvenile and below” groups determines by their Moves in the Field (MITF) test levels. (Lynn, Darby, Morgan & David, 2016).

After the field test was conducted, there differences found between the two leveled groups. The article states “Significant differences were found between ADV and BEG groups for age, body weight, height, BMI, sit-and-reach (SR), and vertical jump height (VJ). Results from univariate statistics and paired…indicated that the anthropometric variables of age, body weight, height, and BMI were greater for the ADV group as compared to the BEG group and were consistent with their physical development” (Lynn, Darby, Morgan & David, 2016). Also, “SR (flexibility) and VJ (explosive power) were greater for the ADV group; as such, these may be athletic components to target as skating ability develops. Future research to identify fitness norms for skaters by level of skating ability (MITF) may assist synchronized skating coaches in the design of off-ice training programs to improve on-ice skating performances” (Lynn, Darby, Morgan & David, 2016). In order for skaters to perform at the different levels, they must go through and complete a sequences of standardized performance tests. According to the article, “the standardized tests within the USFS Test Track assess competence in skating skills and elements and promote consistency in the rating of skating ability across competitive disciplines. A panel of three trained judges evaluates the results of the tests using a point system to pass or fail a skater at a test level. Having a higher test level and a greater variety of test disciplines indicates a greater skating ability and competence” (Lynn, Darby, Morgan & David, 2016).

It is clear to conclude that just like every sport, all skaters have to be in physical shape in order to be high performance rates. The “skill development and advanced performance standards within all disciplines of figure skating have led to increased physical demands being placed on skaters’ bodies (7, 13). As a result, focus on sport performances testing, training, and injury prevention specific to synchronized skating has increased. Developing greater athletic ability through training and an improved level of physical fitness could aid in the acquisition of skating skills and injury prevention 13, 25, 31” (Lynn, Darby, Morgan & David, 2016). It is best for skaters to start in an early since it “may allow the skater to train at his or her highest capability and develop skating skills, as well as introduce the importance of overall physical fitness to the skater. Figure skaters are often required to demonstrate proper form and posture, creative grace and style, and correct techniques all while executing elements that require high levels of athleticism (13, 25, 26)” (Lynn, Darby, Morgan & David).

There are a lot of difficult moves added in the skating sport, the ability to lift, spin and maintain posture has become an increased requirement in the skating sport, which now requires full physical fitness and stamina. According to the article, “Fitness testing results are important components for the design of an appropriate program to meet the needs of an individual skater” (Lynn, Darby, Morgan & David). Without the proper physical tests, skaters would not have the ability to figure out their strength and weakness. As stated in the article, “Fitness tests can be utilized to assess current fitness levels for strengths and weakness, identify special needs for individualized programming, evaluate progress, and motivate the athlete who participates in synchronized skating (19)” (Lynn, Darby, Morgan & David). The study of the physical tests also helps the judge determine a limit to wear the skaters physical fitness should meet. The article states, “Fitness performance data could also be beneficial to establish baseline measures and identify realistic goals for the improvement of each component of a skaters physical fitness” (Lynn, Darby, Morgan & David).

The physical tests that were use for the study to determine the skaters physical test was the sit-and-reach that “assess flexibility of the hamstrings and lower back”, the vertical jump which “is sport specific for any activity that includes jumping or explosive lower body movements and its an appropriate power test for figure skating”, the hexagon test which “is uses to assess agility, the ability to stop and start, quickness of foot speed and legs, change of direction, and whole body coordination (5)”. The movement performed in the hexagon test is an off-ice simulation of fast, full body coordinated movement in all directions”, the one-minute sit-up test which “is a muscular endurance test of the abdominal muscles and hip flexors (core strength) (5)” The one-minute push-up test which is known as “a muscular endurance test of the arms, upper back and chest muscles(5), the time wall sit, “which is also known as the phantom chair or isometric leg squat is intended to measure static leg endurance.(24)” Lastly, the one-mile walk/run test was also used “to assess cardiorespiratory endurance (19, 24)” (Lynn, Darby, Morgan & Davide, 2016). Is quite interesting to know how synchronized skating needs a lot of physical fitness and stamina, one might think its an easy sport due to having to skate together, however, synchronized skating it quite more difficult than regular figure skating since it require all team members to be in sync. If one member makes a mistake, the whole performance messes up.

The health benefits of skating are many. Ice skating itself helps develop the main muscles in the skaters body. According to the “The Health and Fitness Benefits of Ice Skating”, it states “the lower body and core muscles benefit more than other muscle…hamstrings, hips, calves, quadriceps and core muscles, like pelvic floor muscles, back muscles, and the gluteus maximus, increase in mass and are strengthened and toned…” (Staff, 2018). Many health problems like “urinary stress incontinence, suffered frequently among childbearing women and the aging, can be improved or eliminated completely through exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, as ice skating does” (Staff, 2018). Ice skating also increases energy. “Activities like standing, squatting, walking, reaching, bending, and even sitting all rely on core or leg muscles or leg muscles or a combination of both” (Staff, 2018). It makes daily small tasks and movements easier to achieve.

Ice skating also increases weight loss. According to the article, “for every hour of leisurely, ice skating, the average person can expect to burn from 200-650 calories, depending on weight and energy expenditure. A person weighing 185 pounds burns, on average, around 622 calories per hour while ice skating. For every 30 pounds over, 185, add another 60 calories burned” (Staff, 2018). Ice skating also benefits the joints. The article states, “ice skating improves joint health mainly because it is a low-impact exercise that improves strength, endurance, flexibility, and range of motion” (Staff, 2018). Lastly, Ice skating helps bone density. As stated in the article, “practicing jumps for as little as 10 minutes daily will slowly increase bone mass in the bones that are impacted, namely, in the legs, feet, hips, and ankles” (Staff, 2018). Ice skating has many more benefits like balance and mental health. The way of skating and movements helps the increase of benefits of ice skating.

Therefore, synchronized skating started not too long ago. Synchronized skating consists of 8-10 or more members in one team in which they all have to perform together. The skating consists of moves like the intersection, wheel, block, coordination and speed. Synchronized skating has become quite an domestic and international sport and soon later will be joining the Olympic games. Being in a synchronized skating or any type of skating requires physical strengths and stamina. In order for the participant to be determined and chosen for the team, the participant needs to go through a series of testing which helps the judge determine whether the participant is an advanced skater or an beginner. Participants who starts ice skating in an early age are more likely to have fitness and better practice to those who start in an later age. Also, synchronized skating and many other forms of skating has many health benefits. Ice skating itself helps improve many health factors like weight loss, energy muscle development and joint health.

The state change of water and melting of ice are among the foremost dramatic transitions of phase occurring nature. Melting ice accounts could be an event that one observes in his/her everyday lives during which the liquid layer created on ice chunks promote the transfer of mass and charge throughout collisions between them; frost heaving powerful enough to carry boulders from the bottom; and, of course, slippery surfaces.

Introduction

Day to day life expertise suggests why ice surfaces ought to be slippery: Water spilled on a room floor or rain on asphalt or concrete will produce a similar sorts of hazards for walkers and drivers that ice will. Presumably, the liquids are mobile so, it will makes the surface slippery, whereas solid surfaces are comparatively rigid. Asking why ice is slippery is approximately same as asking a liquid or liquid-like layer will occur on the ice surface within the initial stage. A slender film of fluid covers the outside of ice—even at temperatures well underneath solidifying. Dismissed for almost a century, the elements of ice surfaces has now developed into a functioning research point.

Pressure Melting

For quite a while, the normal observation was that skaters slide more effectively on ice than on different solids. Water is denser than ice and possesses about 10% less volume per mole. So as indicated by Le Chatelier’s rule, an expansion in pressure brings about dissolving the ice and diminishes the example’s volume. That is, if dissolving had happened independent from anyone else, it would have brought about a lessening in pressure.

Referring to work of Kelvin brothers, who gave linear relationship between freezing point and pressure. This hypothesis was tested on skiing and ice skating. This experiment carried out practically on skater’s blade and they had found that this theory valid only for freezing temperature near -3°C. Some winter sports like Ice skating and skiing are even played at lower temperature like – 30°C and we can see slipping. For this theory to be right for temperature like -30°C the pressure must be very high such a high pressure cannot be created by a person. Also such a high pressure squeeze the water film which eventually resist slippage.

Frictional heating

Another hypothesis is suggest that film of water is created by localized heat produced due to the friction. This friction varies according to speed and static kinetic friction co-efficient. This explain why iron skies and skates resist motion in compare to wood.

Yet a question arises that why ice is slippery even if we stand still? Phase diagram of H2O. Ice exhibits a rich variety of crystalline and glassy structures in at least 11 distinct phases (7 are shown here) at different pressures and temperatures. The ice–water phase transition is simpler. The meltingtemperature increases steadily with pressure ex- cept at low pressures, where the familiar hexago- nal ice-Ih structure is less dense as a solid than a liquid. (Diagram courtesy of Steven I. Dutch, Uni- versity of Wisconsin at Green Bay.)

Theory of Loose molecules

Latest studies suggest that slipping is due to loose molecule layer of water over ice and not a film of water. It can be imagine as rolling over room full of marbles. This layer is so free that it can be imagine as 2-D gas molecule rather than 3-D water molecule. But for temperature -40°C ice act as sand paper. And due to less energy within it doesn’t create or break bond hence ice is not slippery at -40°C or below.

Conclusion

The about document state that slippage of ice is depends on various factors like Atmospheric temperature and pressure, friction and molecular structure of water. Each hypothesis which is mentioned has its own limitations. But combination of these theories explains the reason why ice is slippery.

References

1. Contributor, M. (2019). Why Is Ice Slippery?. [online] livescience.com. Available at: https://www.livescience.com/62621-why-is-ice-slippery.html [Accessed 10 Nov. 2019].
2. J. Thomson, Proc. R. Soc. London 10, 151 (1859-1860); https://doi.org/10.1098/rspl.1859.0032
3. Lptms.u-psud.fr. (2019). [online] Available at: http://lptms.u-psud.fr/membres/trizac/Ens/L3FIP/Ice.pdf [Accessed 10 Nov. 2019].

To many people, age ten is young. In the world of figure skating, however, age ten is seen as too late to begin a competitive figure skating career. Age five is ideal. At ten, I fell in love with a sport dominated by kids half my age. When I enrolled in Learn-to-Skate classes in the fifth grade, I found myself arriving early to watch the experienced skaters train. Wide-eyed and in astonishment, I watched them whiz around the rink and thought “I want to be just like them”, but achieving that was unfathomable to me. Their parents enrolled them in lessons as soon as they were able to walk. I would be seen as foolish for taking my first glides at my age.

Watching other kids execute high level jumps and spins while I worked on the basics left me feeling discouraged. Wiping tears away with my frozen and blistered fingers, I would question if I should stop wasting my parents’ money and hang up my skates for good. Even with this self-doubt, my love for the ice drew me back to the rink more and more often. I was hooked to the sound of my blade biting the ice, and the feeling of flying that couldn’t be achieved in regular shoes. When I wasn’t skating, you could find me practicing my jumps in the aisles of grocery stores, or stretching my splits while doing homework. To many people’s surprise, I improved quite quickly. As a result, I knew I had to raise the bar.

The rink became my second home – many days I would skate at the crack of dawn, then headed back to the ice after my classes. The talk at school was all about parties and boys, but I still went to practice. In the summer, I traded sandy toes for a chilly nose in order to maximize my training time. Despite my extra hours at the rink, I still felt as if time was running out. Yet, I knew I had already sacrificed so much and could no longer see my life without the ice.

After a few frustrating years, all the 6am practices and hard falls led to my first gold medals. Competitions have become much more serious, but it is alright because I feel pride in being able to compete in difficult events with the other girls my age. I am no longer intimidated by the skaters I once idolized because I have begun to resemble them. Today, I can proudly say I have reached my goal of becoming a USFSA Gold Medalist, meaning I have tested into the highest discipline of skating in the United States.

All that I have learned from this sport is not only seen within my 4:09 second routine; it is displayed in my daily life as well. Letting go of the rink boards for the first time presented me with rewards far more valuable than shiny trophies and award certificates.

Figure skating has taught me to be coachable. In order to improve, I had to seek guidance from my coaches and be willing to try new ways of doing things. This strength of mine has translated well into my academic life. As a student who has taken multiple honors and AP classes, I sometimes feel inferior to the geniuses surrounding me. However, I am still able to thrive in these competitive learning environments because of the open mindset that skating gave me. When struggling with a difficult concept, I never hesitate to reach out to my peers or teachers. I can see myself using this asset to be successful as I pursue my college education.

Thanks to skating, I have come to realize that. At age ten, I did not know that the thin ice I skated on would provide such a strong foundation for learning. Looking back on my skating career, it is clear that my time on the ice has shaped me into who I am today. The lessons skating has taught me will continue to help me throughout my endeavors, especially in college. The challenges of college may cause me to stumble, but it is the ice that has prepared me to get up with confidence.

The cold air bites my skin as I shakingly glide on the center ice. I can feel eyes follow me as I come to a stop and assume my position, waiting for the music to start. Anticipation and adrenaline course through me and it seems as if an eternity passes before my number begins. I experience all types of nerves and contemplate why I thought that I could compete in a sport where I was mediocre at best. As if on cue, all doubts clear my mind once the first note of my music rings through and shatters the deafening silence in the arena. For this minute and a half, it does not matter how good my competition is or where I place. For this minute and a half, the ice is mine.

Growing up, I constantly feared failure. A perfectionist, I abhorred participating in things where I felt inferior to others. Given my subpar strength and stick-like stature, ice skating was a clear source of frustration for me. Despite how many hours I put into the sport, I could never quite jump high enough or be tight enough on my spins to satisfy my expectations. After the initial excitement of being on the ice had worn off, I grew to hate trips to the rink. It seemed as if I fell into a perpetual cycle of monotony, spending half my time on the ice, glancing at the clock, and waiting for the minutes to pass by. I had reached a plateau where not only did my skills stop developing, but my passion for the sport bridled.

When my instructor recommended that I compete in a fall competition, I almost laughed. Why would I partake in a contest where my failure was almost imminent? Nevertheless, with the combined pressure of my parents and coach, I found myself performing a routine at the annual regional competition. I remember going into the routine feeling skeptical and walking out of it feeling accomplished. Sure, my performance was nowhere near perfect, but I came to the realization that the little wobble as I came out of my spin or the borderline sloppy transition into my combinations did not matter in the long run. The feeling of being on the ice had much more value than my fear of mediocrity.

Skating taught me not to shy away from the things I lacked skills in. I learned to use my personal failures to motivate me rather than deter me from partaking in something. Putting my shy personality to the side, I shared ideas more in class and presented them in front of audiences. I took classes that challenged me and began to see competitions such as FBLA and Model UN as opportunities rather than burdens. I stumbled over my words, made multiple missteps, and was sometimes outright wrong. But my fear of failure was overpowered by my will to succeed.

Perfection is unattainable and mediocrity is unavoidable. Rather than getting caught up in the idea of conquering everything presented to me, I now focus on reveling in the moment and appreciating things for what they are. The only obstacle I face in obtaining my goals is myself and I refuse to let that prevent me from taking advantage of the opportunities presented to me.

I am not perfect. I am not the best at computer science, public speaking, and definitely not skating. But I am the best at taking risks and learning from my miscues. I am the best at not letting fear hold me back. I am the best version of myself that I can be.

As more individuals are becoming involved in the four disciplines of the sport of figure skating, singles, pairs, synchronized skating, and ice dance, there has been increased media exposure and popularity in the entire sport. Throughout the United States, there have been better training techniques to create stronger athletes in order to improve the ranking of the U.S. athletes compared to other nations that have dominated the sport. By becoming more of a presence on the world stage, U.S. Figure Skating has attracted a wider following of the sport as well as more people interested in taking on figure skating (Niinimaa, 1982).

Figure skating incorporates strength, artistry, and endurance, in a unique balance for each discipline, which creates distinct challenges for injury prevention and for training. Since the sport is judged based on the technical elements and the components of the program, the different requirements for each of the disciplines become more apparent. Strength is needed to perform jumps, spins, and other technical elements. Artistry is needed to determine the program components based on the quality of skating and the overall program quality. Endurance is essential to be able to complete the entire short and long programs without tiring and fatiguing towards the end of the programs.

Muscular strength is essential for athletes in order to complete the various elements within a program. Specifically, jump takeoffs require leg, ankle, and knee strength to achieve maximum height in the air, and arm strength is needed to be able to vault the skater into the air. There was a study done to assess the relationship of strength/joint speed and the height a skater was able to achieve during his or her jumps. Eighteen skaters had the heights of their single and double axels measured, as well as the strength in their knees, shoulders, and hips measured. The overall result showed a positive correlation between the height of the axels and the athlete’s strength. In order to normalize the study across all the athletes based on height and weight, the height of the jumps was converted into jump potential (potential energy). Knee strength at 240 deg/sec, shoulder strength at 300 deg/sec, and hip extension at 240 deg/sec showed the highest relationship among the two categories. Knee strength is important to the take-off of jumps, because with the most powerful extension, the highest jump can be achieved. In terms of the single and double axel differences, the highest degree per second value was correlated with the double axels and the lesser value was correlated with the single axels, because less power and strength is needed to complete a successful single axel when compared to a double axel. By increasing joint strength in the body, height of jumps increased. By association, the chance of injuries would be decreased, because the joints will be strong enough to withstand the forces exerted on them and it will be easier to land jumps (Podolsky et al, 1990).

Endurance and aerobic ability of athletes is an element that is required to complete an effective and efficient program. Training is vital in order to improve on skaters’ endurance and to train athletes to be less fatigued following their routines. It has been shown that after completing endurance training programs, skaters are less fatigues throughout the duration of their programs, and in turn have less errors during their skates (McMaster et al, 1979). Skaters possess about 50-60% more cardiovascular power than inactive individuals. However, skaters do not have as much power as endurance athletes, which can be accredited to the fact that skaters need to complete a program that is at most around five minutes, whereas endurance athletes need to complete hours of output (Niinimaa, 1982)..

Artistry and flexibility are other necessities to the sport of figure skating. These two aspects go hand in hand as flexibility is needed to improve upon the artistry of the program through elements, such as spirals, spread eagles, layback spins, and lift positions. Flexibility is also important in decreasing the prevalence of injuries in the athletes. Increased injury was seen in those who possessed less flexibility than others (Smith et al, 1991). Flexibility inhibits injuries, because more flexible athletes possess a higher range of motion. This higher range of motion allows for more falls and errors to occur without damaging joints and muscles.

The four different disciplines require a diverse combination of strength, artistry, and endurance based on the expectations and elements in each discipline. Pairs skaters require the most strength of all the disciplines in order to complete lifts and throw jumps. This strength is required for both the female and the male skater. The male must throw and lift the female, and the female must have enough strength to be able to maintain a locked position in the air and to push off into the air. Ice dancers require the most artistry of the disciplines, as well as strength in order to complete lifts while mimicking the dances and patterns similar to those of ballroom dance. Singles skaters, especially those in the men’s division, require the most endurance, because the programs are the longest for these athletes and the most difficult jumps are performed within the singles discipline. Synchronized skaters incorporate a balance of the three requirements, since elements of all the disciplines are incorporating in synchronized skating. Because of these differences among the disciplines of skating, there are specific injuries that are the most common within each discipline.

In figure skating, the prevalence of overuse injuries is very high, especially among singles skaters. Overuse injuries are injuries to the body, such as to the muscles and joints, that are due to repetitive actions and/or damage on a certain area. This high prevalence of overuse injuries is the result of the increased difficulty of elements as skating has progressed. Skaters must attempt and complete the harder jumps with more rotations, which require more practice, thus, leading to possible overuse injuries. In pair skating, ice dancing, and synchronized skating, acute injuries to the upper body are more common resulting from the various lifts and throw jumps in the disciplines. To reduce the risk of injuries throughout all disciplines, certain measures may be taken, such as proper footwear, strength training, and flexibility training (Niinimaa, 1982). With the different demands of each of the disciplines, some injuries become more commonplace in one discipline over another.

In singles skating, there are more overuse injuries and injuries of the lower extremities due to the jumps and technical elements performed. In one study performed on men and ladies figure skaters, data from 236 female and 233 male skaters was taken during four consecutive World Figure Skating Championships, as well as one international competition by having the skaters fill out a questionnaire. The questionnaire sampled data on how common certain injuries are within singles skating. 25% of the females and 27.9% of the males experienced acute injuries, which sprained ankles being the most common injuries between athletes of both sexes. This injury is prominent due to the fact that jumps require a lot of force for both take-off and landing, and an injury to the ankles, especially, can occur if one aspect of the jump is even slightly off . Overuse symptoms were much more frequent than acute injuries with 42.8% of females and 45.5% of males reporting them (Dubravcic-Simunjak et al, 2003). Of these overuse injuries, the most common for females were stress fractures and the most common for males was jumper’s knee, which was the second most common injury in females (Han et al, 2018). The constant pressure of landing multirotational jumps can be very debilitating to the knees and the repeated forces of jumps may even be strong enough to fracture some bones within the leg and foot.

Since pairs skating and ice dance both incorporate a male and a female skating simultaneously performing lifts and patterns, many of the injuries of the two disciplines overlap. To find out more on the injuries of pairs skating/ice dancing, a questionnaire was given to 14 pairs, seven males and seven females, about the occurrence and severity of upper extremity injuries in their lives. The questionnaire was tailored towards the demands of pair skating in order to specifically observe injuries related to pairs skating. On average, the females in the study were three years younger than the males. Males tended to experience more upper extremity pain than the female skaters with 66% of males experiencing mild to severe wrist pain while training and 50% of them experiencing mild to severe shoulder pain while training. Although pain in the hands and elbows did occur in some skaters, shoulder and wrist pain was seen more often. This phenomenon is probably due to the nature of the lifts. Many lifts involve over the head presses from the male, which places a lot of tension on the shoulders and wrists of both skaters in order to fully execute the required elements. Also, death spirals, an element in which the male skater pivots an almost horizontal female skater, only connected by one point- a hand- places a lot of strain on the shoulders and wrists of the skaters. In regards to the lower body, the most pain was seen in the groin and knees than other parts of the lower body. Over 50% of the slaters said that they had knee pain during on-ice training and 64% said they had knee pain in between their other workouts. Females tended to have more pain in their hips and feet than males, who rarely exhibited any pain in those locations. This discrepancy of pain between the sexes is due to the fact that the females skaters require more flexibility at the hip joints, which can lead to overuse injuries in these areas. On average, there was a little over 10 consecutive days of training missed due to injury if it needed rest. From the questionnaire, the male skaters stated that they got more injured from singles skating rather than pairs skating, while the females reported the opposite (Brown and McKeag, 1987). This discrepancy arises because the males participated in singles skating longer before switching to pairs skating, and the difference in number of injuries of females versus males is because of the different element requirements of the male and female pairs skaters. The females must perform riskier elements than males, which may elevate the prevalence of injuries in female pair skaters rather than male pair skaters.

Synchronized skating the newest discipline of figure skating that consists of teams comprised of 8-20 skaters. Typically, at the junior and senior levels, there are 16 skaters on the ice together preforming programs that are about 4 minutes in length, which include pairs elements, ice dance patters, as well as some jumps and spins from singles skating. The International Skating Union Medical Congress completed a study by sending out questionnaires to the athletes competing at the 2004 ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships. Since this is a female dominated discipline of figure skating, most of the skaters who filled out the questionnaire were female (514 female to 14 male). The median age of the females who filled out the survey was around 19 years old and the median age for the males was around 22 years old. Around 42% of both the females and the males experienced some types of acute injuries, with a median of three to five injuries per skater in their entire synchronized skating career. However, around 57% of both the females and males in synchronized skating states that they have not had any injuries yet due to synchronized skating. This lack of injury is probably because of the fact that many of these skaters began this discipline later on in their skating careers, which would lower the incidence of injury due to synchronized skating. Many skaters start out as singles skaters and then branch out into other disciplines, because singles skating is the most popular of the disciplines. As synchronized skating gained popularity, skaters switched disciplines into synchronized skating. A little less than 15% of the males and females in synchronized skating experienced lower back injuries. Over 20% of females experienced overuse injuries, whereas only around 15% of males experienced overuse injuries. Lower extremity injuries had the highest occurrence across both sexes at 57.1% of males and 39.9% of females, and upper extremity injuries had the second highest occurrence across both of the sexes at 28.6% of males and 33.2% of females. These two injuries are the most prevalent because of the repetition and demand of the legs during all of the main synchronized skating elements, and lifts are to blame for the upper body injuries. Most of the injuries occurred during on-ice training at 82%, which is likely because the entire elements, such as blocks, wheels, and intersections, cannot be performed or tested off the ice. So, when they are attempted on the ice, there may be errors and collisions with other skaters, resulting in injury. The majority of the injuries occur during the intersection, which is an element in which the skaters have to intersect one another in various configurations. As a result of the intersecting action, it is easy to collide with one another. The second most common element in which injuries occur is lifts, in which one to three skaters lift another skater. Injury may occur both to the lifted skater and to those lifting if it is executed improperly (Dubravcic-Simunjak et all, 2006).

With injuries being common among all four disciplines of figure skating, it is necessary to avoid them in order to be able to continue training and improving on skills to remain competitive on the world stage. Training programs can be implemented to avoid injuries and to build up strength to prevent injuries from occurring. A conditioning program was set into place in one experiment in order to observe how a conditioning training program can be implemented to stop injuries while completing a routine. Frequently, skaters become tired towards the end of a program, which is when most falls and errors occur. Through this conditioning program, skaters trained an additional 30 minutes on the ice three times per week for three months in addition to their normal practice schedule. There was on-ice interval training as well as off ice training for 30 min every other day with stretching daily. After the three months were up, the VO2max increased by 9% due to the training program. The skaters’ programs seemed to be faster and more consistent towards the end and the skaters’ claimed feeling less tired when completing their programs (McMaster et al, 1979). Interval training seems to be a positive way to decrease the prevalence of injury by training the body to become more prepared for increased activity. Fatigue causes the skater to become more careless in his or her execution, so avoiding fatigue will avoid the errors that go along with it.

Training off the ice can also be a positive addition to a practice regimen for figure skaters (Mannix et al, 1996). Using testimonials from champion athletes from various disciplines, many substantiated the necessity of off-ice training in warm up and in strength training. Many of the new and emerging elements in figure skating require much ankle power and strength. However, skaters are not building up muscle in their lower leg and feet but are instead relying on stiffer and stronger boots to compensate for the lack of strength. This boot stiffness results in some injuries; they have led to an increase in tendinitis, and 80% of foot injuries in skaters are caused by new stiff boots. Additionally, younger skaters tend to acquire more injuries than older skaters, because their bodies are not developed enough for the forces and strain of the difficult elements they are required to do. Tears in the hamstring are common, because their muscle strength has surpassed the strength of their bones. Also, younger skaters tend to have an increased likelihood of developing inflammation of the joints and ligaments in their legs (Ferstle, 1979). It is clear to see that an improvement in the strength of skaters will not only allow for progress of skating elements, but also will result in a decreased chance of injuries because the body will be able to better withstand the rigors of the sport.

Ultimately, pairs skaters and ice dancers share some of the same injuries as synchronized skaters due to the similar nature of the required elements, such as lifts and death spirals. Yet, pairs skaters and ice dancers do not show as many knee injuries as synchronized skaters. This difference is partly due to the fact that with synchronized skating, a skater may not know when a fall is coming resulting from a trip or collision with another skater. So, skaters may not be able to brace for a fall, and thus hitting their knees with greater force. Singles skaters show a higher amount of ankle injuries than other disciplines, and not as many upper extremity injuries. Ankle sprains are the most common, because of the many multirotational jumps needed. The landings put a lot of force on the ankles, so if one is slightly off then an ankle injury may happen. With upper extremity injuries, they are more common in other disciplines because of the lifts and over-the-head presses required in pairs skating, synchronized skating, and ice dancing, but not in singles skating. Also, overuse injuries are more common in singles skating, compared to the acute injuries common in the other disciplines. Pairs skaters and singles skaters shared more lower back problems than synchronized skaters and ice dancers. Singles skaters have to perform spins and elements that incorporate back flexibility and overuse, and the lifts in pairs skating can cause back injuries if performed incorrectly. Although some of the disciplines share some of the same kinds of injuries, many are unique to one discipline.

Training can be used to try to lower the rate of injury by strengthening the body to prepare for the demands of the sport. Conditioning and on-ice interval training can be incorporated to lower the fatigue during routines, which leads to less errors at the end of the routine. Off-ice training is also important in order to warm up the body prior to exercise, which allows the body to be better equipped for the on-ice training to come. Strength training off the ice results in training the body to tolerate higher forces, which not only prevents injuries, but also permits more difficult elements to be performed. Often times, injuries are lumped together just in terms of figure skating as a whole, but it is important to see which are derived from each discipline to be able to better tailor injury prevention and training to the skaters.