Off Ice Strength and Conditioning Programs
      Skating as a sport is not different than any other sport. Strength and conditioning are important in trainig as for any athlete. That training can be performed as part of group training  (which is much less expensive)  or individually depending on time and financial constraints as well as the availability of appropriate supervision. 

      Either approach requires appropriately sized equipment for use by younger athletes and certified trainers to provide supervision when the gym is open for use.

Elements of Conditioning
      Conditioning includes strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, and cardiovascular fitness that is intended to develop the young athlete as a whole not just focus on specific groups of muscle development. Sport specific training builds on the athletic skills that were developed in the prepubescent years. Strengthening and conditioning is safe and effective for young children when the emphasis is on safety and the quality of movement, not the achievement of unrealistic goals.

      Children can begin training when they are willing to perform the exercises correctly. The exercising is much like a young child practice scales when learning to play any instructment. It just not fun! It helps considerable if the exercising equipment is of an appropriate design and size. Free weights, body weight and exercise bands offer resistance to improve strength without the use of adult sized equipment.

      Knowledgeable trainers will encourage the development of core body strength as this enhances proper form and stability for all others exercises. Bilateral exercises are designed to encourage the athlete to be able to move equally well to all sides and directions so that the total muscle balance is always equal. The stability gained form core control and upper body upper body strength are essential to improving the coordination, movement, and overall body performance. The intensity, frequency and type of exercise should vary depending of the stage of training in the competitive season.

      The flexibility gained with static stretching can inhibit the development power. Prior to on ice training sessions and at a competition, a skater's off ice warm up should include dynamic flexibility – exercise that moves the body through the range of motion and increases circulation to the muscles. It is best to reserve static stretching until after a practice or performance. This is much like walking a race horse after running a race. Skaters should gradually cool off rather suddenly stop a strenuous exercise/performance.

      It is safe for children to participate in cardiovascular fitness training, but caution must be taken as their  greater body surface to body mass limits sweating capacity and subjects them to higher core temperatures. Young athletes should be encouraged to stay hydrated before and during their exercise sessions.

      The principles of youth and adolescent training should focus on staying fit as that improves their ability to perform longer without forced errors resulting from the increasing levels of physical stressors that results in an elite training program that is required to become competitive.

Differentiating Between Expertise of Coaches
       With as many distinctive disciplines as existing in figure skating, it is not surprising that coaches might want to specialize teaching adults, or beginning, low, juvenile, novice, junior, or senior levels of compet- itive levels. Some coaches prefer the challenges of being a choreographer while others may prefer to teach test and competitive skaters in figures, Moves in the Field (MITF), pairs, dance, artistic, synchronized skating, Showcase, or Theater on Ice competition events. Some coaches prefer to only coach on a part time basic because of raising a family or having an other occupation. Their choice to limit their availability often means they are selective of who they will accept as students.

       The competitive back ground of a coach's experience, how long they have taught, and the number of skaters they have worked with that earned their gold medals gives an idea of their value as a coach. An important part of the selective process is the coach's personality and how well they can work with specific ages of athletes. 

       Members of the Professional Skaters Association (PSA) must pass annual background checks, carry insurance, and participate in the certification of their skating skills, teaching knowledge, and ability to communicate those abilities in front of a panel of their peers. Only certified PSA coaches can put skaters on the ice at USFS tests anad competitions.