How To Do Popular Ice Skating Moves

If your goal is to cut a handsome figure on the ice rink, there are a number of popular ice skating moves that you will want to learn as you master the sport of figure skating.  These include jumps, lifts, spins and spirals, accompanied by detailed footwork that is perfected through constant practice.

Jumps are actually fun to practice and eventually master. The waltz jump is one of the first jump movements that all skaters learn.  This move takes off from the forward outside edge, with the skater then making a half revolution while airborne, landing on a back outside edge of the opposite foot. Another popular jump movement is the Salchow. This is done after a three turn when the skater extends his free foot behind and swings the free leg forward in a dramatic sweeping motion, before jumping into the air and landing backwards on the same foot and leg that performed the dramatic sweep. Another artistic jump is the toe loop.  While skating backwards, the skater picks with one toe prior to jumping into the air with a half revolution and landing on the opposite foot while gliding backwards.

Spins are another popular crowd pleasing move in figure skating.  This is a move where the skater rotates on the round part of the blade, just behind the toe pick, extending the opposite leg behind them as they rotate often at very fast speeds. Spins can be started from a jump and become known as flying spins.  The sit spin, the camel spin and the upright spin are the three basic spin positions.

Spirals are graceful-looking and popular moves that can be performed while skating backwards or forwards.  This move requires the skater to glide across the ice balancing their body on a specific edge of one skate while their opposite leg is held behind their body above the hipline.

Lifts are popular moves in pairs skating, in which one partner is lifted up off the ice and above the partner's head for a total of at least three seconds.  This movement is sometimes varied to include the elevated partner doing a half twist in the air prior to being caught and lowered again safely back down to the ice.

Still other popular figure skating moves include a spread eagle, in which the skaters knees are slightly bent and the back arched, and the Hydroblade, a deep edge movement performed with the body hanging as low as possible over the ice in an almost horizontal position during skating.