Our methods
We’ve taken the most relevant training techniques from gymnastics, acrobatics, dance, contortion, pilates, and Functional Range Conditioning and applied them to specifically target the needs of figure skaters.
As former competitive figure skaters, we’ve witnessed firsthand the toll it can take on our bodies: injuries from over-training, poor technique that led to bad habits, lost flexibility due to weakness. But throughout our career as professional coaches, we realized something important: these issues are all preventable.
The Balanced Skaters Platform was designed to help coaches train their figure skaters off the ice in order to develop the strong foundation they need to challenge themselves on the ice. Our training programs improve mobility, strength, and resistance to common injuries. By training clean body mechanics and breaking down difficult jumps, spins, and movement patterns, we unlock rapid improvements to on-ice form and technique.
Training programs
We developed our signature 12-week training programs with competitive figure skating seasons & levels in mind. Skaters move up a level once proficiency is demonstrated. Although our program is flexible and non-prescriptive, the ideal application looks something like this:
Group students by level (we split our programs into Pre-Preliminary—Juvenile and Junior—Senior levels)
Teach 90-minute off-ice classes 2-3x a week, alternating between our strength and mobility-focused lessons
At the end of each 12-week program, evaluate your skater’s progress using our level-specific assessments
Adjust their program level, exercise difficulty, or ‘homework’ based on their strengths & weaknesses
With this process, your skaters will be able to see and track their progress in a sustainable way. Alternating between strength and mobility-focused lessons prevents burning out the same muscle groups, consistently practicing drills builds the muscle memory that improves on-ice technique, and regular assessments help identify areas of weakness that could lead to injury down the line.
Program composition
To create well-balanced and structured programs, we examined five key categories of exercises and created progressions that map to all 8 levels of skating.
We believe we achieved the perfect balance between strength and mobility across all five categories:
Strength: Integrated movement patterns broken down into their simplest forms
Mobility: Stretches that require end-range control and help improve flexibility
Balance: Specific balances directly relating to skills on ice (we call them ‘shaping drills’)
Plyometrics: Utilizing strength effectively for better jumping form & injury prevention
Rotations: Current and progressive jumping techniques broken down into smart progressions
All exercises correspond within the 5 categories so nothing is missed. Our core fundamental exercises look at movement qualities joint-by-joint. The sequencing of connected exercises allows you to measure and better understand any areas of deficiencies that could negatively impact your skater’s development.
Our programs add incremental load, taking into consideration the competitive season and actual ice time. As a coach, you know your skaters best: you have the flexibility to customize our programs and periodize as you see fit.
Exercises & Drills
We’ve divided exercises into two classes: resilient drills & performance skills. We look at the long-term athletic development before specialization.
What’s the difference?
Resilient drills create a larger work space in the body, allowing more capacity for complex and dynamic movement. We want to make sure skaters have enough durability to handle repeated jumping loads.
Capacity < Load = Injury
Capacity > Load = Trainable working space
Performance skill training in this context focuses on specific neuromuscular patterning. The goal is to create proficient movement patterns before complexity is added.
Balanced Skaters considers training mindsets off the ice to influence the learning process on the ice. We want to cultivate thoughtful and process-oriented athletes. Examinations with worksheets were created to empower skaters keeping them accountable for their own growth. When you use our system to measure their improvements, the goal is to look for a skater who is “balanced” across all categories.
Progressive Jumping Techniques
Our jumps are broken into three categories. Axis, Stick, and Transfers.
Transfers
When we talk about all the different takeoffs for various jumps, we find similarities. The axel, Salchow, and toe-loop all transfer from the left leg to the rotational position for counter-clockwise jumpers. The axel has a unique takeoff, with the forward edge, but the Salchow and toe-loop are almost identical in their motions. We break down those exact motions, presenting the skater with the progressions to learn the difference in the shapes required to achieve high-impact rotational skills, allowing awareness for even quad jumps.
Axis
Axis represents Loop, Flip, and Lutz takeoffs (taking off the same foot as the landing), while also teaching the skater how to problem-solve a messy takeoff, find their axis mid-air, and have a successful attempt overall. This helps alleviate the risk of injury.
Stick
Stick refers to the shape of the air position and how we release that position to allow for a successful landing. Drills in the “stick” category help skaters stick their landings and quickly recover.
The Pedagogy
We stress the importance of awareness.
Skaters unfortunately try new skills on-ice without fully understanding the motions, sometimes resulting in dangerous attempts and falls. We find that learning the speed of rotation, takeoff shapes, air position specifics, release of rotation, height, and ultimately jump awareness is all learned off the ice. Furthermore, without coaching, skaters generally neglect the strength & mobility of their body. A strong foundation and sufficient joint mobility is necessary to safely achieve these incredibly challenging skills. By working through our progressions, nothing is left out of the picture. Fly high, rotate fast, know your body, and achieve whatever you set your mind to.
A note from Coach Luke Kirchgessner…
Coaches everywhere are always looking for the secret sauce, or the magic wand. We ponder how these skills are being achieved at such a young age. As part of my own journey as a competitive skater, growing up in a small town with limited resources to grow technically, I found myself going through a trial and error process self teaching and studying every motion you can think of. Midori Ito’s triple axel played on repeat on my parents dial up computer, every morning and every night for example. Probably should have been doing my homework. Studying the greats became my fix.
After suffering countless injuries and somewhat getting my technique sorted, I was able to take my training all over the country to various technicians, finally solidifying the motions necessary to achieve the big tricks. Having felt every “bad habit” you can think of and going through countless attempts to problem fix, I knew I wanted to share that knowledge somewhere bigger than the rink I teach at.
As a young skater, I always envied the skaters who had the opportunity to train properly from day one, not going through the pains of trying to figure it out by themselves. The envy turned into a hunger to learn for the benefit of my future students as it had became too late for my initial dream of standing on that podium. Plagued with injury & trying quads on a body that was already broken was the end of my journey.
As coaches, when a skater walks through that door and falls in love with the sport, holds the big dream, and believes in themselves, let’s offer them the tools together. Let’s not ever assume we know all the answers. Let’s converse, share, and support one another.
Balanced Skaters is not just a technical platform, but a conversation starter.