Off Ice Training for Figure Skaters, Only the Beginning (Kristina Anderson)

Figure skating coach and strength and conditioning specialist Kristina Anderson talks about how off-ice training for figure skaters is really a relatively new thing. Other sports have driven the research in strength and conditioning training, partly because those sports have more funding available for research. But that research has obviously not been directed at specific off-ice training exercises and programs for figure skaters. As off-ice training becomes more and more popular among figure skaters, innovative training methods are emerging and will continue to emerge in the coming years that may dramatically help skater progress.

As Kristina notes, off-ice training provides an opportunity to build skater strength, quickness, flexibility, explosiveness, and balance without “wasting” precious on-ice training time. Kristina also offers insights into why it’s taken so long for off-ice training to take off like it has in recent years. She mentions research funding and the prevalence of weight training myths. But the benefits are becoming more and more clear to prevent injuries and maximize athlete performance.