Karen Heng Olson

Karen Heng Olson is a PSA Master Rated coach in Moves in the Field and Freestyle and she has a Level II PSA Ranking (Jr. Nationals and Sectional Coach). She’s been coaching since 1995 and she currently coaches at the National Sports Center in Blaine, MN.

Karen has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Delaware in Physical Education with a concentration on Figure Skating and a Minor in Psychology. She also has her ISI Gold Judges Certification and has coached skaters through ISI FS 9 and USFS Senior tests. Karen specializes in moves in the field and freestyle. She has been a presenter at both ISI and PSA seminars.

Most recent videos at the top…

Figure Skating Backward Cross Strokes (Karen Olson)

Karen Olson explains and demonstrates how she teaches backward cross strokes. This video is a continuation of her video on forward cross strokes. Backward cross strokes are an important skating skill but they’re often performed incorrectly, especially at the lower skating levels. These are part of the US Figure Skating Juvenile Moves in the Field […] Continue reading →
Figure Skating Forward Cross Strokes (Karen Olson)

Karen Olson explains and demonstrates how she teaches forward cross strokes. This is an important skating skill, and it first appears in the US Figure Skating Juvenile Moves in the Field Test. Karen starts these with an exercise to work on shoulder positioning and hip-against-shoulder movement. The drill is simple, but very helpful in developing […] Continue reading →
Karen Heng Olson – Backward Outside Loops

Karen Heng Olson teaches backward outside loops. When beginning loops with a skater, Karen like to focus initially on the upper body movement. She shows the skater what she wants and holds the skaters arms. (Coaches, notice how she takes the skaters left hand and switches it from her right hand to her left hand on […] Continue reading →
US FS Moves In The Field: Backward Inside Loops – (Karen Heng Olson)

Karen Heng Olson teaches backward inside loops. At the beginning of the video, Karen references the back outside loops, but she generally teaches the back inside loops first because they are easier to learn for most skaters. Karen shows how she uses a hands-on approach for getting a skater to build initial awareness of the movements […] Continue reading →
Figure Skating Edges: Backward Circle Eights Pattern – Pre-Juvenile Moves (Karen Heng Olson)

Karen Heng Olson explains the Backward Circle Eights pattern for the U.S. Figure Skating Pre-Juvenile Moves in the Field test. Karen demonstrates the moves and talks about it as she demonstrates it. Notice the technique used and strength of the pushes. Karen discusses the order of movements and how the movements should be narrow and controlled. […] Continue reading →
Figure Skating Figures: Figure Eight Pattern – Preliminary Moves (Karen Heng Olson)

Karen Heng Olson discusses the Figure Eight pattern for the U.S. Figure Skating Preliminary Moves in the Field test. When starting this move, Karen reviews the Pre-Pre moves edges patterns. She also draws the circles for the skater. Karen recommends using a “landmark” on the ice for the skater to return to center. Karen discusses the […] Continue reading →
USFS Novice Moves In The Field Twizzles – Part 4: Twizzle Pattern (Karen Heng Olson)

Karen Heng Olson discusses the full Backward Twizzle pattern from the US Figure Skating Novice Moves in the Field Test. Karen initially teaches it on the line, even though the pattern is skated on the long axis. Karen demonstrates the pattern and offers details to focus on. Karen notes it is important to finish the […] Continue reading →
USFS Novice Moves In The Field – Part 3: Backward Inside Twizzles (Karen Heng Olson)

Karen Heng Olson explains how she introduces and refines back inside twizzles. Karen teaches it much like a flip jump take-off. She uses same arm in front (same arm as skating foot). Karen notes that she uses twizzles to help reinforce ideas related to jumping. In this video she explains she likes the arms to […] Continue reading →
USFS Novice Moves In The Field – Part 2: Backward Outside Twizzles (Karen Heng Olson)

Karen Heng Olson builds on her discussion of backward outside twizzles by offering a valuable exercise to work on properly building rotational energy and timing. In this short video, Karen explains how to apply the circular power three turn pattern from the Juvenile Moves to build speed and rotation for twizzles. Many coaches teach the […] Continue reading →
USFS Novice Moves In The Field – Part 1: Backward Outside Twizzles (Karen Heng Olson)

Karen Heng Olson explains how she teaches backward outside twizzles from the beginning. In fact, in this video Karen works with a skater that has never done these twizzles before. Karen starts with back pushes with the free foot pressing behind. She wants the skater to open the free side rather than stay stiff and […] Continue reading →
USFS Intermediate Moves In The Field: Forward Inside Twizzles (Karen Heng Olson)

Karen Heng Olson covers the Forward Inside Twizzles from the USFS Intermediate Moves in the Field Test. (The forward outside twizzle video that Karen references is no longer published on the website.) Karen starts with the Preliminary inside three turns across the line. This helps the skater feel the rotation and get used to using […] Continue reading →
USFS Intermediate Moves In The Field: Forward Outside Twizzle – More Tips (Karen Heng Olson)

Moves in the field expert Karen Heng Olson continues her presentation on the USFS Intermediate Moves in the Field pattern. In the first video of the series, Karen introduced some basics. In the second video, she started to build the forward outside twizzle pattern with an emphasis on improving the cross strokes. In the third […] Continue reading →
Great Drill for Making Twizzles Faster (Karen Heng Olson)

Moves in the field expert Karen Heng Olson continues her presentation on the USFS Intermediate Moves in the Field pattern. In the first video of the series, Karen introduced some basics. In the second video, she started to build the forward outside twizzle pattern with an emphasis on improving the cross strokes. In this short […] Continue reading →
USFS Intermediate Moves In The Field: Starting Forward Outside Twizzle Pattern (Karen Heng Olson)

Moves in the field expert Karen Heng Olson continues her presentation on the Forward Outside Twizzles for the USFS Intermediate Moves in the Field pattern. In the first video of the series, Karen introduced some basics. In this video, she starts to build the forward outside twizzle pattern. After the skater does the basic pattern, […] Continue reading →
USFS Intermediate Moves In The Field: Intro to Twizzles (Karen Heng Olson)

Moves in the field expert Karen Heng Olson explains how she begins working on twizzles with skaters. Karen recommends that skaters start learning twizzles very early on in the skater’s development, well before the Intermediate Move in the Field Test. She shares an introductory exercise that skaters at even low levels can do safely and […] Continue reading →
USFS Moves In The Field Tips: OLD Bracket-Three-Bracket – Novice (Karen Heng Olson)

Karen Heng Olson explains how she teaches the Bracket-Three-Bracket Pattern from the Novice USFS Moves in the Field Test. Continue reading →
USFS Moves In The Field Tips: Back Power Threes – Juvenile (Karen Heng Olson)

Karen Heng Olson explains how she teaches the Backward Power Three Turns from the Juvenile USFS Moves in the Field Test. Continue reading →
USFS Moves In The Field Tips: 8 Step Mohawk Seq – Juvenile (Karen Heng Olson)

Karen Heng Olson explains how she teaches the 8-Step Mohawk Sequence from the Juvenile USFS Moves in the Field Test. Continue reading →
USFS Moves In The Field Tips: Power Pulls – Pre Juvenile (Karen Heng Olson)

Karen Heng Olson explains how she teaches the Power Pulls from the Pre-Juvenile USFS Moves in the Field Test. Continue reading →
USFS Moves In The Field Tips: Forward Power Three Turns – Preliminary (Karen Heng Olson)

Karen Heng Olson explains how she teaches the Forward Power Three Turns for the Preliminary USFS Moves in the Field Test. Continue reading →
Skating Basics: Backward Inside Edges (Karen Heng Olson)

Karen Heng Olson explains how she teaches the back inside edges for the Pre-Pre USFS Moves in the Field Test. Notice that Karen goes back to the beginning and teaches backward stroking again, even if the skater already knows it (“Make a C, lift the foot in front”). The “C push” is a critical foundation skill for this pattern. Continue reading →