USFSA figure tests were the standard for many years, and are still the most commonly discussed. They are still on the books and can be offered by request. You have to take all the figures in a test at once (except that the higher-level tests can be split in half; these splits are listed in… Continue reading Testing & competing with US Figure Skating (USFSA)
Testing & competing with the ISI
The ISI (Ice Sports Industry, formerly Ice Skating Institute) focuses on recreational skating and stresses participation and inclusion; tests and competitions are meant to encourage participation. Figure tests are available on demand—ask the skating director at your nearest ISI rink. The ISI tests follow essentially the same structure as the USFSA tests, with the numbers… Continue reading Testing & competing with the ISI
Overview of testing & competing on ice
Yes, you can still take tests and compete in figures! When testing or competing figures, you can expect to skate your figure(s) on a sheet of clean ice while one or more people watch you. When you’ve finished, the judges walk on the ice examining your tracings carefully. The details of this process depend on… Continue reading Overview of testing & competing on ice
What if I don’t have a scribe?
You can pace out a circle using bladelengths or steps. Mark the center of your eight and measure eight to ten bladelengths or about four paces. Make a mark. This is the center of your circle. Measure eight to ten bladelengths or about for paces further along the long axis and make a mark. Measure… Continue reading What if I don’t have a scribe?
How big should my circles be?
Ice In general, the diameter of the circle should be approximately three times the height of the skater. To set your scribe to the right length, calculate your height in inches and multiply by 1.5. A skater who is five feet tall should use a setting of 60 inches times 1.5 = 90 inches, or… Continue reading How big should my circles be?
There are no patch sessions near me! How can I do figures?
Look for poorly attended freestyle and public skating sessions. These may be early in the morning or in the middle of the day, depending on the time of year and your local rink culture. Then, go and do figures. The conditions are less than ideal—people will probably skate right through your patch—but you’ll be able… Continue reading There are no patch sessions near me! How can I do figures?
Blades for figures: Where to get them
Special blades designed specifically for figures are no longer made, but some stores still have old ones in stock. If your local skate shop has been around a while, it may be worth asking if they still have any. Here are some places that you can try. The models to look for include MK Silver… Continue reading Blades for figures: Where to get them
Blades for figures: Notes and specifications
Patch blades (blades that are designed specifically for figures) are not the same as freestyle blades. They lack the bottom toe pick and that they are sharpened to a much flatter radius of hollow. Both of these are modifications that can be made to existing blades: you can make a pair of old freestyle blades… Continue reading Blades for figures: Notes and specifications
Boots for figures on ice
Any old boots should work. The trick is that they need to be soft enough to let your ankle bend from side to side. New, stiff freestyle boots don't allow this. Back in the day, people used to use their old, broken-down freestyle boots for figures. Now, there are four main options: Use a pair… Continue reading Boots for figures on ice
Equipment for figures
You don't have to have special skates for figures, but they can help you skate them better. It used to be that every ice skater had two pairs of skates, one for figures and the other for freestyle, and a scribe or a scribe to share. Some skaters (namely, Dick Button) had a third pair… Continue reading Equipment for figures