Ice Dance — Glossary

Every Ice Dance term explained in plain language: technique, equipment, rules and slang – with tips on avoiding the classic mistakes.

Crossover (Movement)

A cornering technique crossing the outside leg over the inside one — letting you hold or even build speed through a turn.

Deep Edge (Cheat code)

Leaning visibly into the curve instead of staying nearly upright. Edge depth and flow are explicitly rewarded under the placement criterion — this is not a matter of taste.

Hollow (Radius of Hollow) (Equipment)

The groove ground lengthwise into the underside of the blade, which is what creates the two edges in the first place. Quoted in inches: a smaller radius means a deeper groove and more grip.

Mondopoint (Equipment)

International shoe sizing system (ISO 9407) stating foot length directly in millimetres — the standard for ski boots and skates.

Pattern Dance (Rule)

A step sequence prescribed by an ISU diagram and skated to set music, rhythm and tempo. Because everything is fixed, your technique gets judged rather than your ideas.

Penguin Steps (Slang)

The nickname for your first metres on the ice: short, choppy steps with your weight over the balls of your feet, still without any real glide phase.

T-Stop (Movement)

A braking technique dragging one skate crosswise behind the other — the T shape gives it its name.

General

Terms from training theory that apply in every sport.

1RM (One-Repetition Maximum) (Rule)

The maximum weight you can move for exactly one clean repetition. The reference value behind almost every training plan.

BMR & TDEE (Rule)

BMR is your basal metabolic rate at complete rest; TDEE is total daily expenditure including everyday movement and training. Nutrition targets always work off TDEE.

Cadence (Movement)

Steps per minute when running, or pedal revolutions when cycling. For most runners, 170–180 steps per minute sits in the sweet spot.

Core Tension (Movement)

Active stabilisation of abdomen, back and pelvis — the bridge that lets force travel between legs and arms at all.

Deload (Cheat code)

A deliberately lighter week with volume or intensity clearly reduced, so adaptation can catch up.

DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) (Cheat code)

Delayed muscle soreness 12–72 hours after unfamiliar load. Not a measure of training quality.

Knee Valgus (Movement)

The knees collapsing inward during squats, jumps and landings. One of the key risk markers in technique analysis.

Progressive Overload (Cheat code)

The one principle no training works without long-term: the stimulus has to grow over time, otherwise adaptation stops.

RIR (Reps in Reserve) (Rule)

How many clean reps you had left at the end of a set. RIR 2 means two more were available.

RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) (Rule)

A scale for perceived effort. In strength training it usually runs 1–10, where RPE 8 means you had two more reps in the tank.

Zone 2 (Aerobic Base) (Cheat code)

The easy endurance zone where you can still hold a conversation in full sentences. The base of almost every endurance plan.