What are your opinions on figure skating???

Question

I have been figure skating for 16 years now, and i have worked my *** of to get as far as i have gotten (im pretty darn good). Some people like to say figure skating is not a sport... and gosh darn it they're right! Its a COMPETITION. Any time there are judges deciding who wins or who doesn't, its no longer a sport b/c you are competeing to get the judges to recognize that your the best. BUT ..... if ANYONE says that figure skaters are not athletes, your damn wrong. I am interested in the publics opinion of figure skating and the skaters...

I personally think the new judging system is just for show. yes, i know completely how it works, i use it. I do not agree with it. It is diminishing the artistic part of figure skating and making it all about packing as many jumps and spins as possible into the program, in my opinion thats not what it is about. Its about being graceful, artistic, AND athletic. The new system doesnt require skaters to focus on grace and art, as the years go on this is going to become less of a focus. The judges still judge you, regardless of the "system", they dont technically stick to it. i could go on forever

Miss Artistic.... you have mis understood my whole point... im sorry you dont get what im saying here. You are right, if you dont compete you are doing it for the recreation/sport of it. Its just as hard to skate whether you compete or not. The only reason why it is "technically" not a SPORT is because of how a winner is chosen. Example, in basketball there is an EXACT amount of points given to a team(team is key here) per shot they make, it doesnt matter on how gracefully the ran to the basket or what their uniforms, hair and faces looked like. Before the new system was made, did u ever notice the prettiest/most graceful girl won, even if she popped jumps (Tonya harding was a MUCH better ATHLETE than Nancy Kerrigan, but nancy ALWAY won over with the judges b/c of grace and beauty. ) There for, it is up to the judges opinions, that you have to compete against other girls for, for who wins or not. A girl who does a double axel can place behind a girl who pops her double jumps....

Answer 1

I am also a figure skater but I have not been skating as long as you have. Definition of sport: competitive physical activity: an individual or group competitive activity involving physical exertion or skill, governed by rules, and sometimes engaged in professionally (often used in the plural) Figure Skating is often competitive even in Adult competition in which I compete. We may be judged by judges but with the new Code Of Points and the Canadian Cumulative Points Calculation judges can add up the scores we got for each section of our programs and then compare the total program sums against all the other competitors in the event. Figure skating for the most part is now not judge with the old 6.0 I'll place ahead someone with a pretty line who can't jump, spin, do foot work, do a decent spiral sequences and/or use the music and ice space. If you don't bring it to the program, you don't get graded for it and/or you'll get a lousy score. Now we skaters have to skate it on the day of competition, not just on the practice sessions when the judges use to try to place skaters before the competition ever begun.

As far as figure skating not being athletic, anyone who says that it is not, should try it for a week. They will find out that skating is one of the most demanding sports out there. Just because figure skating is beautiful to watch doesn't me it's not a sport or athletic. Figure skating is a graceful demanding athletic sport that draws from drama in whether the athlete does what the athlete has set out to do or does not and will fail, is full of grace and beauty in how the athletes take the time to perfect each move, step, spin and jump with the chosen music and has heart in where the audience is touched by the performance and what the athlete is trying to convey through their program.

"Skating is not just a sport for the young but it's a passion for the soul of the young at heart." Brigitte Laskowski

Brigitte Laskowski
2004 Skate Canada Adult Championships 40+ Ladies Adult Bronze Bronze Medallist

Answer 2

I think it is a sport because all sports are competitions, sports are to see who is the best and who will come out on top and thats a competition.You have to be very in shape and strong to be a skater like Brian Joubert, the announcer was saying how Brian had lost 6 pounds and he was saying how it mad all the difference and Brain kinda messed up on a quad triple I think he two footed the quad and it slowed down and he would have never done the triple if he had that six pounds on him. You have to be tough too, again Brian J oubert ws in warm-ups and fell on a jump and spranied his elbow or his shoulder i cant remember what but he went out and ended up getting second place overall, he was behind by like a tenth of a point. I'm not as good as I could be because I hurt my back and my knee so that put me out for a while but I am pretty much all right now. Figure Skating is complicated.

Answer 3

I currently dance ballroom and I did a little bit ice skating in the past. As you might know, any serious ice skating is accomplanied by ballet trainig. (This very fact suggests that ballet is foundation for all dances, ice skating/dancing is not exception.) Althout the tecnique is obviously different, they are all about creating beauty, moving gracefully to music and being in great control of your body. The difference in names of the terms is unimportant. Anyone with brain should be able to keep them apart. You learn you use your weight and your momentum differently. You have a lot more momentum on ice, and you have you manage that. You have a lot of restriction on exactly how to use your foot. Ice skates don't bend, they are completely inflexible in the sole, obvioulsy. And you can't slide/move sideways as freely as you can on the dance floor. But in exchange, you gain so much more speed that no ballroom dancer could dream of. There is a similarity, too: in every style, it is important to use the correct part of the foot. There is no use to compare steps in skating to those of ballroom, but neither style is about steps anyway. Steps are the easy part of it. It's how you do them, that's hard. I don't think good dancers of either style crignle at the site of how the other style is danced, as long as it is done well and with taste. "Crignling" is usually done by beginners who learned a little bit of tecnique in their own style, but know nothing beyond that. You know, like when you got a hammer everything starts to look like a nail. And what doesn't look like a nail should look like a nail anyway. But when you got the whole toolbox.... Although I must say, when I see a ballet dancer's knee go up and to the side, my first reflex is OMG, and olny a second later my brain adjusts to it.

Answer 4

Figure Skating IS A SPORT! It keeps you in shape! I've been skating for 8 years, and im also pretty good. I really love it execpt for 1 thing, I get a lot of leg muscle, and it makes my legs look fat! lol! But its so fun, and I wouldn't quit for the world!

Answer 5

I totally love figure skating. I've been skating for about 9 years. I believe it IS a sport, AND a competition.

Answer 6

you are so wrong! figure skating is a sport!! i'd like all the stupid people who say its girly to please shut their yaps. i'd like them to do a lutz or even a loop for me, and still tell me its a 'girly' sport. and if they fall and still say that just cuz they cannot skate.

also, if you think its just a competition, it IS a sport. some people who can iceskate really good, dont even compete. if you skate just for the competition, the glitter, not because you love it. anf you say you 'worked your ***' off, well isnt the a contradiction?

are you a walking contradiction?

Answer 7

Figure skating is a wonderful sport. It is so full of grace, coordination, and beauty, and it is an excellent way to keep you in shape.

Answer 8

I think that figure skating is a sport but it defnitely is also competition! And figure skaters are defenitley athletes

Answer 9

damn, of course its a sport, and like u said a competition...in fact...not just saying to be nice...but thats why i only watch the winter olympics...for the figure skating...its so cool...

and if ur that good...u should try for the olympics...hey, u never know!!!

=)

Answer 10

definitly a sport worth watching. not only do u have to be in shape u need to be graceful and have awesome timing. you must be really good.