Figure Skating Training- Easier with Synthetic Ice

Though figure skating training is a challenging endeavor under any circumstances, you can help your skater excel with a home-based, synthetic ice rink from KwikRink Synthetic Ice.

Read on for a deep dive into figure skating training techniques to practice any time of year, indoors or outside, on any size flat surface. Your skater can gain a competitive and recreational edge with a synthetic ice rink from Kwik Rink.

Call us today for free measurement guidance and a quote on the ideal rink for your home. Our customized, click-together, synthetic ice tiles and accessory packages will fit your space and figure skating training goals in a snap (literally!)

Get stronger faster with synthetic ice

Explosive propulsion is crucial for single, double, and triple jumps in the rink. The higher the leap, the more rotations completed and landed, the higher your score, expertise, and achievement in figure skating.

Height and explosion in skating jumps relate directly to the explosive power in your big leg muscles like the quadriceps, hamstrings (front and back of the thigh), gluteals (the muscles in your backside) and your core (abdominal and lower back muscles.)

Training on synthetic ice provides about 10% more friction between your skate blades and the surface than on conventional ice. When you execute jumps on synthetic ice, your muscles become stronger and more powerful than when you practice solely on natural ice.

Think of this training effect like training at high altitude. Olympic athletes spend months exercising in lower-oxygen environments to improve their oxygen-producing ability. (For all you exercise nerds out there, they produce more oxygen-carrying red blood cells in high altitude.) 

Then, when these athletes compete at a lower altitude, they can perform better because their use of oxygen under exertion is substantially more efficient. What felt like a killer sprinting challenge in the mountains feels like a piece of cake at sea level, so they go faster and farther.

The same principle applies to skaters who train on synthetic ice and then compete or perform on natural ice. Their jumps are higher, they may complete more rotations, and they have more stamina for challenging short and long programs.

Refine the details with synthetic ice

Though jump training requires a larger ice space, you can still hone your skills with a small rink. If you can dedicate a corner of your garage for figure skating training, you can drastically improve your figure skating technique.

Footwork, balance, choreography, and spins exemplify classic examples of synthetic ice-ready drills and skills to practice outside of natural ice time. 

When you consistently utilize a synthetic ice training program two or more times per week, you’ll notice gains in your strength, precision, and balance in a short amount of time.

Skills like donuts, spread eagles, spirals, split jumps, and Biellmann spins are some of the elements adaptable to synthetic ice, depending on rink size and skater experience. 

You can also parse out demanding or artistic sections of choreography on synthetic ice to perfect technique, expression, or style.

Sharpen your edges for best performance

On synthetic ice, sharp skating edges can promote skater confidence as they adapt to a different skating surface. If you trust your edges to propel you into jumps, you’ll likely feel more ready to try challenging rotations and higher leaps.

KwikRink offers skate sharpeners as part of our product line to ensure your blades remain sharp enough to keep you on the cutting edge of progress in your figure skating training routine.

Who has room for a home figure skating rink?

You do!  Seriously, if you have a flat space of nearly any size, you can customize a home rink to fit your space. Our state-of-the-art synthetic ice tiles work indoors and outside for a versatile application you can use year-round.

Plus, KwikRink synthetic ice tiles assemble and tear down like puzzle pieces. You won’t need any tools to click your tiles in place; they press together with ease for a seamless skating surface.

Since rink installation is a snap, you can also use your rink when desired, then stack and store it away when not in use. We recommend covering your tiles with a waterproof tarp outdoors, or with a soft cloth cover indoors. 

Covering your stored tiles helps ensure a clean surface with maximum glide for up to ten years of regular use.

But, isn’t a synthetic rink hard to maintain?

KwikRink Synthetic Ice is a low-maintenance training option that fits your family’s busy schedule. Your ice tiles will keep their glide as long as you keep them clean. 

Cleaning your tiles is a two-step process. After each figure skating training session:

1. Sweep your tiles with a soft push broom, vacuum with a shop vac, or clear with a leaf-blower to remove loose dust and dirt.
2. Wet-mop your tiles with a conventional mop and gentle cleaner like dish soap-and-water, or use an all-in-one product with cleanser and disposable pads like a Swiffer Wet Jet or similar mopping system.

If you leave your tiles down between skate sessions, make sure they stay free of dust by covering them or dry-sweeping them again before your next skate. 

When storing and stacking, keep them away from dust or dirt sources. Our skate tiles will take care of your skaters so long as you keep the tiles clean and happy.

Partner with KwikRink to build your little (or not so little) champion

The experienced team at KwikRink wants to make owning a home rink accessible and care-free. We believe all skaters can benefit from home training on synthetic ice, so your natural ice time is the best it can be for your time and investment. 

Take advantage of our expertise in measuring and installing your synthetic ice home rink, and get your skaters on their home-based synthetic ice ASAP!

Call our team today for measuring assistance and a free quote. We customize our tiles to any space and size for your training goals and budget. Plus, we also provide rink borders, colored marking tape, and more to create the rinks on which figure skating dreams come true.