Figure skating works almost every muscle group in the body. Joint flexibility and a strong core are needed to perform the required manoeuvres for competition skating. Working from bended knees, the strength comes from ultra-strong glutes (Gluteus Maximus and minimus, or for regular folk, the buttocks). Professional skaters train for many hours a day, both on and off the ice.
But even if we’re past the age of competitive figure skating, getting out on a rink is a great workout while we’re having the best fun just whizzing through the air. The cardio or aerobic exercise is second to none as the heart rate is pumped up. According to Harvard Medical School, a 155-pound person can burn between 210 and 311 calories in just 30 minutes of sustained ice skating. The consensus of the experts, competition figure skating aside, is that for a rounded-out workout, getting onto the ice does more than walking or jogging.
