Figure Skating on a Synthetic Skate Rink

It was bound to happen. If football, rugby, soccer, and baseball can be played on astroturf, why can’t figure skaters skate on artificial ice? They can skate just about anywhere they want with KwikRink synthetic ice systems. Find out how.

Synthetic ice and hockey, sure, but synthetic ice and figure skating?

Intuitively it makes sense that hockey players practice and compete on alternative ice, the surface is built for quick direction changes and a superior sliding surface. But, what about all the toe picks, pivots, turns, jumps, and spins on figure skates? 

Figure skating acrobatics are no problem for KwikRink Artificial Ice. KwikRink polyethylene can help skaters refine their technique. Check it out.

Build more strength with KwikRink

Leg and core strength are two of the foundational building blocks of expert figure skating. Explosive bursts of speed and lift are required to jump faster.

Being able to reach higher levels adds more difficulty to a skating routine, which can boost a skater’s score from the judges at a competition. Building that strength requires specific training both on and off the ice.  

With KwikRink artificial ice, skaters are required to press down more firmly into their jumps just before take-off. This additional pressure creates a more significant “overload” in leg muscles throughout several practice sessions.

When an overload is consistently present, muscles must become stronger to handle the increased exertion required in the movement.

When a skater eventually switches back to natural ice just before or during a competition, her jumps will feel less taxing and more powerful for the extra strength she has gained from training on a synthetic surface.

Enhanced spins and toe-pick precision

Artificial ice requires a figure skater to be precise in his toe-pick for maximum take-off power in jumps. Learning to toe-pick on artificial ice can give an edge (pun intended) that those who only skate on natural ice may not have.

On synthetic ice, skaters have the opportunity to work the details of their spinning and optimize their position and speed for this skill as well.

Bring figure skating programs to new regions with ease

Now it is easier than ever to launch and grow a new figure skating program in your region. With natural ice, a community must have an arena and be able to cool the floor enough to keep ice frozen, sometimes year-round, to have a viable program.

Further, if your only option to skate is outdoors, you had better live in an area where there is plenty of winter time.

With KwikRink artificial ice, you can launch a figure skating program in a school gym, community center, church multi-purpose room, or even in a field outside in the middle of July. 

Everyone wins when a new sport launches in your region

The benefits of a skating program exist on several levels. Figure skating programs build coordination, athleticism, camaraderie, and community involvement for participants.

When a kid (or an adult, for that matter) learns to skate, it is a skill they will carry with them for a lifetime. When children begin sports at an early age, they often have a better lifestyle and fitness outcomes as adults as well.

Figure skating combines the physical aspects of the movement with the artistic expression of dance, creating a well-rounded sport that a wide variety of people can enjoy, whether they are spectating or performing. Parents love to watch their children learn skills and excel at activities they enjoy.

Our synthetic rinks can expand the activity options for kids and adults in areas where natural ice is challenging or downright impossible to maintain.

When kids learn sports, they build confidence for whatever life throws at them as well as strength and endurance. All the more reason to make figure skating on synthetic ice an alternative option next to all the traditional team sports offered in schools and youth leagues.

Figure skating programs make excellent revenue streams

Managing a KwikRink system is easy and creates an instant business or revenue stream opportunity for the owner or organization.  If your existing brick and mortar have unused space, a KwikRink system may be just the way to maximize your footprint and serve a new niche in your community at the same time.

Easy to install, easy to break down

KwikRink panels are a breeze to install and maintain, as well as coming apart for easy stacking and storage. If you have an indoor, flat, hard surface with no flaws or cracks, KwikRink panels will lay down well with no underlayment.

If you are working outdoors or on an uneven surface, an underlayment or subfloor is the first step to gliding your cares away on artificial ice.  

KwikRink panels are a snap to put together. They assemble like puzzle pieces and require only a mallet and block to tap into place–the seams are nearly invisible once fully clicked and locked.

With our system, you can have your rink assembled for weekend practice and put it away during the week when you may have other activities programmed in your space, for example. 

Comfort makes for an enjoyable, creative skate experience

Perhaps the biggest advantage to figure skating on KwikRink systems is enjoying the warmth while working on skills, drills, and choreography. In figure skating practice, there is typically a flurry of activity, and then a fair bit of standing still on the ice while your coach gives feedback or outlines the next steps in the routine.

Figure skating practice can be much more fun when skaters are not continually bouncing between sweating and freezing between bouts of movement. A warmer, consistent climate may also help to keep skaters loose and prevent injury as well.

In the end, there are so many reasons to look to KwikRink synthetic ice for figure skating. We are here to answer all your questions, provide a free quote, and help you customize your rink for all your figure skating programming needs. Give us a call today and glide into fitness, coordination, creativity, and enjoyment.

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