Skating Apps for the iPhone

Here's my review of some figure skating Apps from the Apps Store.


USFSA Basic Skills

This app covers all the required skating skills in the USFSA Basic 1-8. There's a young child skater, who demonstrates the skills. There's not much to the App. You click through the levels and run the videos. I suppose it's designed so a parent can use it to motivate a child. However, I think using child demonstrators is not a good idea, because their small size can make it difficult to see the detail of what they're doing. Some slo-mo for clarity.

Does not include a written description of the skill and the passing standard.

USFSA Adult

This is effectively the same as the Basic Skills app, it's a collection of videos laid out in the structure of the Adult Basic Skills Program. This time the demonstrator is an adult. I think it's easier to see the details of the skating.

Does not include a written description of the skill and the passing standard.

USFSA Dance

This App is a little more complicated than the previous two. It has three sections: demonstrations of the skills for all 6 levels of the Dance program for USFSA, demonstrations of the preliminary and pre-bronze dances + images of the dance patterns, and music for the preliminary and pre-bronze dances. The demonstrator is an adult. All skills and DANCES are demonstrated solo.

As USFSA gets into areas that are a little more complicated than straight videos, their lack of attention to detail gets to be annoying.   For example, the patterns can't be read without enlarging them, but when you enlarge them there's resolution issues with the print. Unless you know the dances well, it's sometimes hard to make out the steps in the pattern. Sloppy. 

The dances are demonstrated solo. I've no objection to this, but I would have been willing to pay extra to see them partnered as well. Without a partner it's not dance, it's an edge class.

There's music for the first 6 dances included. This is a nice touch. Strangely, the dance music doesn't always match the music used in the demonstrations. Lack of attention to detail again.


iSkate Improvers

This appears to be an app produced by an Australian or British skating body. I don't swear to it though. It's level 6-10 of a complete skating program. Levels 1-5 are in iSkate Beginners.

This is a really nice app.  All moves are demonstrated by an adult, with an initial demo, followed by close ups of the feet and body, and slo-mo. Written tips for the skater are included with each video. You can also order a workbook. The only downside I feel is that the skater's face needed better lighting. Trivial, I know, but it was noticeable and I like to see head position for some moves. Still her skating was fine, and the use of a yellow vest made it easy to follow her arm movements if she passed in front of an overly dark or bright area of the rink.

Of the apps I've reviewed, this is by far the best. Even if you are in USFSA or ISI, you could use the tips and demonstrations in this app to support your skating. USFSA should hire this company to make their apps and do it right.