Compulsory Figures – Drawing the Circles Without a Scribe (Page Lipe)

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Page Lipe demonstrates how to draw figures circles without using a scribe.  Although figures were dropped from international competition back in the early 1990’s, school figures are seeing a resurgence in popularity as coaches recognize the value of these exercises.  Page has been a strong figures proponent and shares information about her Compulsory Figures Project on Facebook.

Part of the challenge in teaching figures today is the lack of scribes to draw circles on the ice.  Simply put, scribes are no longer manufactured so skaters wishing to practice figures must find used scribes or made due without.  Page has found a reasonable solution for skaters to create their own patch circles without a scribe.

In this video, Page lays out her patch with nothing but her skate blades and a marker.  Notice how the size of the circles is roughly proportional to the height of the skater, due to the fact that the skater’s blade is also roughly proportional to their height.  Page mentions that the diameter of the circle should be approximately 3 times the skater’s height.  She uses 9 blade lengths as the radius for each circle.  She also notes that measuring the circles in this manner helps skaters develop the internal and external hip rotation that is so valuable in figure skating.  She has one of her skaters lay down on the ice to demonstrate the validity of this process.  Also notice the positions and alignment she has when skating the circles.

Now there’s no more excuses for not having a scribe!


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8 responses to “Compulsory Figures – Drawing the Circles Without a Scribe (Page Lipe)”

  1. Rosalind

    Thanks Page, Now we have the radius. I had forgotten exactly the size and wanted to start figures again. All I need now is get figure grind on some blades and I can start. I guess the manufacturers will know what it is if I contact them. This is a skill that is so useful to skaters as so many really don’t understand the benefits.

    Reply
  2. Trevor

    Hey Rosalind, I think Page just has her skaters use their normal freestyle skates with regular freestyle hollow. The idea is that having a whole extra set of skates for patch is a luxury most of her skaters can’t afford. I believe Page and many other coaches believe that even though it’s not as rigorous as the old days, just exposing skaters to figures has huge benefits in terms of control and alignment. But I know there’s a number of others out there also getting out their old patch skates. Good luck!

    Reply
  3. Sheila

    I still have my scribe, but this is SO much simpler. Thank you for sharing this. I can’t wait to use it with my students!

    Reply
  4. NakedApe

    Wouldn’t a nail on one end of a pre-measured string with an attached marker on the other end be much easier?

    Reply
  5. Rosalind

    Hi Trevor,

    Yes, I agree. I have been teaching change of edge on a figure eight to lower level students as I felt they really don’t get the feel of a real change of edge which uses the rise of the skating knee along with the extension of the free leg and movement between opposing shoulder and hip that takes you through the axis and it really helps with swing choctaw preparation and so many other things such as learning counters and feel of the edge on power pulls etc. I don’t know if Page would agree. Watching her mark out her circles really took me back to my figure days when we spent hours every week on our patch. Would you agree that it also gives a sense of timing to the skater and uses the core muscles too?

    Reply
  6. Nancy

    Page, thank you! I have had my students lie down on the ice and they think it is hilarious! I, too, have started teaching more figures. I have my own patch skates now-I had Jack Courtney at the World Arena Pro Shop convert a pair of Pattern 99’s to a patch grind. Rosalind, you could probably mail a pair of skates to him that he could convert for you. It has been SO much fun patching again for myself and I still have my scribe. I will use your guidelines, Page, for setting my scribe for myself. I can’t read where I used to have my marks on my scribe! My hope would be that USFS will start incorporating some real figures back into the Field Moves!!

    Reply
  7. SandraReichmann

    Thank you for this movie and the explanations. Please could you bring back to my memory the radius size from the original compulsory figures in blade lengths ? I can not remember. Please size from the big eights and also the radius of the loops and the loops itself. Thank you for an short answer

    Reply
  8. Trevor

    Sandra, please ask this question on the iCoachSkating Facebook page or check out the Facebook page for The Compulsory Figures Project. That page is pretty active and I’m sure someone there will be more than happy to provide this info.

    Reply

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