Training, Music, Clothing, and Skates
Pair skaters generally begin as single skaters owing to the necessity of having some jumping ability. They switch to pairs usually between the age of 10 and 20, most often by 16 for females who reach the World podium. In the 1950s, it was not uncommon for skaters to compete at the World level in both single skating and pair skating, but this grew rare with the increasing demands of both disciplines. At the 1990 World Championships, Kristi Yamaguchi became the last skater to place in the top five at Worlds in both singles (4th) and pairs (5th) – after the event, she chose to continue training in singles and quit pairs training. In the 21st century, some lower-level skaters may divide their training time between two disciplines but skaters usually make a choice if they reach a level where they might qualify for a World Championships.
Competitors often choose music in consultation with their coach and choreographer. For long programs, skaters generally search for music with different moods and tempos. In competitive programs, vocal music is allowed only if it contained no lyrics or words. In June 2012, the International Skating Union voted to allow music with words in competitive programs beginning in the 2014–2015 season.
Competition costumes vary widely. Skaters and family members may design their own costumes, sometimes with assistance from their coach or choreographer, or turn to professional designers. As in ice dancing, matching costumes are not required in pair skating. Women may wear trousers in competition since 2004, although dresses remain more popular. Men must wear trousers; they are not allowed to wear tights, although, officials do not always impose deductions for violations.
The most visible difference in relation to hockey skates is that figure skates have a set of large, jagged teeth called toe picks (also called "toe rakes") on the front of the blade. The toe picks are used primarily in jumping and should not be used for stroking or spins. Blades are mounted to the sole and heel of the boot with screws. In competition, skaters may have three minutes to make repairs to their skates. Blades are about 3/16 inch (4 mm) thick. When viewed from the side, the blade of a figure skate is not flat, but curved slightly, forming an arc of a circle with a radius of 180-220 cm. This curvature is referred to as the rocker of the blade. The sweet spot of the blade is below the ball of the foot. This spot is usually located near the stanchion of the blade, and is the part of the blade where all spins are spun on. The blade is also hollow ground; a groove on the bottom of the blade creates two distinct edges, inside and outside. The inside edge of the blade is on the side closest to the skater; the outside edge of the blade is on the side farthest from the skater. In figure skating, it is always desirable to skate on only one edge of the blade. Skating on both at the same time (which is referred to as a flat) may result in lower skating skills scores. The apparently effortless power and glide across the ice exhibited by elite figure skaters fundamentally derives from efficient use of the edges to generate speed.
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