Figure skating is a type of sports that requires high level coordination of movements. In order to study the basics of figure skating successfully, one must use a combined method involving both separation and integration. Such method presumes utilization of lead-up exercises. Lead-up exercises are employed to make mastering of athletic technique easier by systematic learning of basic movements that ensures performing of main movements. This possibility is due to the related origin of both lead-up and main movements. Learning efficiency of the methods employed to master athletic technique, it largely depends on the quantity, complexity, and peculiarities of the utilized exercises. While learning movements that require complex coordination, it is essential to select a variety of exercises that are joined by the same training program, starting position, preparatory, and main movements and differ only in complexity of coordination. During the early period of teaching, lead-up exercises can be used to help athletes understand kinematic, dynamic, and rhythmic characteristics of the main areas of support. This study aims to consider the use of lead-up exercises in order to master basic elements of gliding in figure skating during the elementary teaching. 40 girls of age 8-9 with the same qualification took part in this study. They were divided equally into two groups: control and experimental group. In order to determine skating skills of every girl, three elements of figure skating were employed. These elements were the following: "the basic stroke", "forward crossover", and "backward crossover". Participants from the control group studied using standard training programme. Experimental group members used the same programme but, besides standard exercises, they used a lot of lead-up exercises and performed isometrics on the floor. The developed complex of exercises was performed on the ice and in the choreographic room. The results of the study demonstrated that detected errors during performance of "basic stroke", "forward crossover", "backward crossover" and the designed 6 point evaluation scale of basic elements execution in figure skating allowed detecting the weaknesses of exercise performance in young figure skaters and target these weaknesses intentionally. The study of complexly coordinated structure must be accomplished through the method of both separation and integration of exercises with the use of lead-up exercises. Division of the movement on time stages with highlighting main areas of support allows studying carefully the kinetic, dynamic and rhythmic characteristics of this movement. Employment of the lead-up exercises provides gradual and consistent mastering of individual elements of the movement that allows figure skaters to quickly and efficiently learn new movements. Absence of clear elaboration of areal, timely, dynamic and rhythmical characteristics significantly reduces generation of skills and abilities and there is a risk that wrong motor stereotype may occur. The developed method of elementary teaching of the basic elements of gliding in figure skating employing lead-up exercises allows to significantly decrease the number of errors, which is confirmed by improvements in performance of young athletes.
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