compulsory figure

Compulsory figures were a fundamental part of figure skating competitions until 1990. These were a series of progressive movements executed in a prescribed pattern, typically forming a figure eight on the ice. Skaters performed these figures on specific edges of their blades, moving forward or backward, to develop edge control, balance, and turning skills. They constituted a significant portion of a skater's total score, with some critics finding them boring compared to freestyle skating. After their elimination, "moves in the field" were introduced to develop similar skills across the entire ice surface.123