From Olympics to Everyday Training
What Watching Elite Skaters Can Teach Us About Everyday Training
As we all eagerly anticipate the opening of the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, let’s keep in mind who these amazing athletes are and how far they have all come. Every Olympic season or championship event brings a familiar feeling to rinks everywhere: inspiration. We watch the world’s best figure skaters perform with speed, confidence, and polish—and it’s easy to think their success comes from talent alone. But if you look closely, what truly separates elite skaters isn’t flashy elements or complicated choreography. It’s their relentless commitment to the basics.
For developmental skaters training every week at the rink, there are powerful lessons hidden in what elite skaters do every day—not just on competition night.
How Elite Skaters Approach the Basics
Elite skaters never outgrow fundamentals. Even at the Olympic level, skaters spend a significant portion of their training time on edges, turns, posture, alignment, and stroking. Simple exercises like power pulls, edge circles, and basic turns are repeated daily—not because elite skaters need remediation, but because mastery lives in refinement.
When you watch closely, the quality of an elite skater’s jumps, spins, and step sequences comes from clean edges, strong knee bend, controlled upper body movement, and efficient skating mechanics. These are the same fundamentals taught in Aspire and Excel levels—just performed with years of consistency behind them.
Takeaway: Progress doesn’t come from skipping ahead. It comes from doing the basics exceptionally well.
Why Repetition Matters at Every Level
One of the biggest differences between recreational skaters and elite athletes is their relationship with repetition. Elite skaters understand that repetition isn’t boring—it’s how skills become automatic under pressure.
They repeat drills until movements are ingrained, allowing them to perform confidently in high-stress environments like Nationals or the Olympics. That same principle applies at every level. Whether you’re working on three-turns, edges, or jump entrances, repetition builds:
Muscle memory
Confidence under pressure
Consistency in tests and competitions
For developing skaters, repetition also creates trust in their skating. When fundamentals are solid, skaters skate freer—not tighter.
Takeaway: Repetition isn’t a lack of progress; it is progress.
Translating Elite Habits to ALL Skaters
You don’t need Olympic ice time or elite-level choreography to train like an elite skater. The habits that matter most are accessible to everyone:
Warm up with intention: Start sessions with edge work, stroking, or basic turns before jumping into elements.
Slow it down: Elite skaters often train skills slowly to perfect body position and edge quality.
Focus on quality over quantity: Fewer, well-executed attempts beat rushing through a long checklist.
Trust the process: Improvement isn’t always visible day to day—but consistency compounds over time.
These habits are especially important for developing skaters building long-term skating foundations. Strong basics now make every future skill easier, safer, and more consistent.
Bringing It Back to the Rink with Skate VIDA
At Skate VIDA, we emphasize fundamentals not because skaters aren’t advanced enough, but because fundamentals are what create confident, resilient, and successful skaters at every level. Whether you’re preparing for your next test, stepping into competition season, or simply aiming to skate stronger, focusing on the basics is always the right move.
As you watch elite skaters this season, challenge yourself to bring that same commitment to fundamentals into your own training. At Skate VIDA, our coaches help skaters strengthen the basics that support long-term progress—on and off the ice. Focus on what matters most, trust the process, and let strong fundamentals elevate your skating.