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Train for Every Scoring Element at Home With PolyGlide Ice

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The International Judging System (IJS) is the official scoring framework used in all ISU-sanctioned figure skating competitions worldwide.

IJS was introduced in 2004, following the judging controversy at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.

It replaced the old 6.0 system with a transparent, points-based method designed to reduce subjectivity and give every score a traceable, reproducible breakdown.

The IJS changed everything by assigning a specific point value to every element a skater performs... every score is now explainable, not just visible on a scoreboard.

Understanding how the system works gives skaters and coaches a direct roadmap for improvement: you know exactly which elements to upgrade, which quality markers earn bonus points, and where score is being left on the table.

How Does Figure Skating Scoring Work?

Every figure skating performance is scored in two major parts that are added together to produce the total segment score.

Technical Elements Score (TES): measures what a skater does. Every jump, spin, and step sequence is assigned a base value for difficulty, then adjusted up or down based on how cleanly it was executed.

Program Components Score (PCS): measures how a skater does it.

Artistry, musicality, edge quality, and movement through the entire program.

Mandatory deductions (falls, time violations, costume failures, and music violations) are subtracted before rankings are calculated.

Total Score = TES + PCS − Deductions. The skater with the highest total across the short program and free skate wins.

Nine judges evaluate every performance.

For most elements, the three highest and three lowest individual scores are trimmed, and the remaining scores are averaged, a system designed to neutralize any single judge's bias.

What Is the Technical Elements Score (TES)?

The TES is built from two numbers applied to every element: the base value and the Grade of Execution (GOE) adjustment.

Base values are set annually by the ISU and reflect the technical difficulty of each element.

A quad lutz is worth more than a double axel because it requires more rotations, more speed, and greater technical precision.

A panel of technical specialists (one technical controller and two assistants) works alongside the judges at every competition.

They identify each element in real time, call the level for spins and step sequences, and confirm the jump type.

Their calls are reviewed via video, and any disputes are resolved before scores are posted.

Base values scale sharply with difficulty, which is why elite skaters invest years upgrading their jump repertoire... each additional revolution can be worth 2 to 6 extra points.

Current base values for key elements:

Element	Base Value	Notes
Double Axel (2A)	3.30	Only jump with 2.5 rotations; gateway to triples
Triple Toe Loop (3T)	4.20	Most common triple in junior programs
Triple Lutz (3Lz)	5.90	Requires clean outside edge takeoff
Triple Axel (3A)	8.00	3.5 rotations; only elite skaters land consistently
Quad Toe Loop (4T)	9.50	Entry-level quad for most quad skaters
Quad Salchow (4S)	9.70	Edge jump, harder to rotate cleanly
Quad Lutz (4Lz)	11.50	Among the hardest consistent quads
Quad Axel (4A)	12.50	First landed in competition by Ilia Malinin, 2022
Level 1 Spin	0.40–0.70	Minimum 6 revolutions required
Level 4 Combination Spin	3.50–4.00+	Requires 4 level features

Spins and step sequences are graded Level 1 to Level 4. Each level increment adds base value. A Level 4 camel spin earns significantly more than a Level 1.

Strategic program construction is as important as execution: choosing elements you can perform cleanly earns more points than attempting harder elements with poor GOE.

Expanding your vocabulary of essential figure skating moves gives you a broader technical menu when planning your program with a coach.

What Is Grade of Execution (GOE) in Figure Skating?

The Grade of Execution (GOE) adjusts every element's base value up or down based on how well it was performed.

Each of the nine judges assigns a whole number GOE between -5 and +5 for every element. The three highest and three lowest are trimmed.

The remaining three are averaged and converted to a point adjustment using the ISU's GOE conversion table.

A +1 GOE adds roughly 10 percent of the element's base value. A +5 can add more than 50 percent.

Negative GOE works the same way in reverse... a -5 can cut a quad's value nearly in half.

What earns positive GOE on jumps:

• Clean takeoff edge with no pre-rotation
• Maximum height and distance (good speed into the jump)
• Secure landing on a strong back outside edge
• Good body alignment and arm position in the air
• Uninterrupted flow and speed out of the landing

What earns positive GOE on spins:

• Centering: staying within a 6-inch radius throughout the spin
• Consistent or accelerating rotational speed
• Clear, well-defined body positions held with control
• Smooth, controlled entries and exits on clean edges

Consistently earning positive GOE separates good skaters from great ones. It starts with the fundamentals: centered spins, clean takeoff edges, and secure landing positions.

Developing the technique that earns positive GOE in figure skating spins requires thousands of quality repetitions... which is why consistent home practice matters as much as rink time.

Refining GOE on existing elements is often more effective than chasing harder elements with lower execution marks.

Every tenth of a point matters at the competitive level.

What Causes Deductions in Figure Skating?

Beyond TES and PCS, mandatory deductions reduce a skater's total score before rankings are calculated.

• Falls: -1.00 point per fall from the total segment score. Falls also almost always produce negative GOE on the element where the fall occurred, so one fall effectively costs 2+ points.
• Time violations: Programs that run over the maximum allowed time are penalized. Short programs allow approximately 2 min 50 sec; free skates run 4 min (ladies/pairs) or 4 min 30 sec (men).
• Costume violations: Elements of a costume that fall onto the ice result in a deduction. Illegal accessories or excessive decoration can also be flagged.
• Music violations: Using music with lyrics in events where it is not permitted, or using prohibited sound , results in a scoring penalty.
• Illegal elements: Attempting a prohibited element (e.g., a back somersault) results in the element receiving zero base value.

Coaches often advise athletes to attempt only the elements they can execute with at least 90% reliability under competition pressure... the compounding cost of a fall makes risk management as important as technical ambition.

Training elements to automaticity through deliberate home practice (in low-pressure sessions with unlimited repetition) is how that reliability is built before competition day.

What Is the Program Components Score (PCS)?

The Program Components Score evaluates five artistic and performance qualities that run through the entire program, from the first note of music to the final pose.

Each component is scored from 0.25 to 10.00 in increments of 0.25 by all nine judges. The highest and lowest scores are trimmed, and the remaining scores are averaged.

Those averages are then multiplied by a discipline factor. The men's and pairs free skate use a factor of 2.0; ladies and ice dance programs use lower multipliers.

This means PCS is worth significantly more in longer programs.

The five components:

• Skating Skills: overall quality of skating: edge control, blade use, flow, and the ability to generate and maintain speed. This is the foundation of all other PCS marks.
• Transitions: quality of linking moves between required elements: the variety of turns, steps, and footwork patterns that fill non-element portions of the program.
• Performance: physical, emotional, and intellectual involvement: presence, projection, and physical control throughout the program.
• Composition: intentional arrangement of movements in the program: use of space, pattern, and phrasing relative to the music.
• Interpretation of Music: the relationship between movement and music: rhythm, nuance, and expression of the music's character and narrative.

Judges assess all five components while watching the full program, not just the moments around big jumps. A skater who stands still between elements or ignores musical phrasing will score poorly in Composition and Interpretation regardless of jump difficulty.

Building genuine skating quality: deep edges, fluid crossovers, expressive footwork, and musical sensitivity... takes years of deliberate practice and develops best through consistent, focused ice time.

How Do You Read a Figure Skating Score Sheet?

Every skater who competes under the IJS receives a detailed protocol sheet after their event.

The protocol shows every element attempted, the base value assigned, each judge's GOE score, the trimmed average, and the final point total for each element.

It also displays each judge's PCS marks for all five components and the final factored totals.

Learning to read the protocol sheet is one of the most valuable skills a competitive skater can develop... it shows exactly where points were gained and lost, not just the final number.

How to use your protocol sheet:

• Find your GOE patterns: Consistent negative GOE on a specific jump signals a technical flaw worth addressing immediately.
• Check your spin levels: A spin called Level 2 when you thought it was Level 4 means a required feature is being missed... your coach can identify which one.
• Compare TES vs. PCS balance: If your TES is strong but PCS lags, the gap is in your skating quality and artistry, not your jump content.
• Track across competitions: Patterns across multiple protocol sheets reveal systemic issues that are more valuable than any single event result.

The protocol sheet is your coach's most precise diagnostic tool. Skaters who study it after every competition improve faster than those who only remember their final rank.

Use your PolyGlide Ice home sessions to drill directly on the weaknesses your protocol sheet reveals.

Targeted practice guided by real competition data produces faster improvement than general training alone.

How Can You Improve Your IJS Scores?

Consistent daily practice is the most reliable path to higher IJS scores... more sessions mean more quality repetitions of the technical and artistic elements judges evaluate.

The challenge for most competitive skaters is access.

Rink time is expensive, limited, and often scheduled at inconvenient hours.

A PolyGlide Ice Starter Kit brings a real training surface into your home or garage.

You can work every day without the cost or logistics of additional rink time.

What home practice directly improves by scoring component:

• Spins (TES + GOE): Centering requires constant blade feedback. Repeated daily practice on a home surface builds the muscle memory needed for Level 4 execution under competition pressure.
• Step sequences (TES level): Slow, deliberate repetition of individual turns (brackets, counters, rockers, choctaws) builds the technical vocabulary that earns high level calls and positive GOE.
• Skating Skills (PCS): Even basic stroking on a home panel improves hip alignment, knee bend, and blade engagement, the building blocks of strong Skating Skills marks.
• Composition and Interpretation (PCS): Running through program sections at home trains pacing, spatial patterns, and musical phrasing, components most skaters neglect in rink-side training.

Home ice is not a replacement for the rink. It is the competitive advantage you use between sessions to accumulate the repetitions that separate good scores from great ones.

Skaters who add home practice sessions regularly accumulate significantly more deliberate repetitions across a season.

That volume difference shows up in cleaner GOE margins and stronger PCS marks at competition.

Frequently Asked Questions About Figure Skating Scoring

1. What is a good figure skating score?

   It depends entirely on the level of competition. At a regional junior event, a total score of 80 to 100 points may place you on the podium.

   At the ISU World Championships, men's winners typically score 280 to 330+ points across both segments. In 2026, top men's free skate scores exceeded 220 points individually. A 'good' score is always relative to the competitive field and level you're skating at... the more useful question is how your score compares to your personal baseline.

2. What is the highest figure skating score ever?

   As of April 2026, Ilia Malinin of the United States holds multiple ISU world record scores, including a men's free skate record surpassing 230 points and a total segment score exceeding 330 points.

   Malinin's scores benefit from a quad axel (base value 12.50) and multiple quad combinations executed with consistently positive GOE. Records are updated each season as the sport continues to push technical limits.

3. How does the old 6.0 system compare to the current IJS?

   Under the 6.0 system, judges gave a single mark for technical merit (0.0 to 6.0) and another for presentation (0.0 to 6.0).

   A perfect 6.0 from every judge was the pinnacle, but the system provided no breakdown of how scores were reached. 

   The IJS replaced this with specific point values for every element plus transparent criteria for all artistic components. The result is a system where every score is explainable and traceable, but also more complex for casual fans to follow.

4. What is the difference between TES and PCS in figure skating?

   TES (Technical Elements Score) values the specific elements a skater performs: each jump, spin, and step sequence receives a base value plus a GOE adjustment. PCS (Program Components Score) evaluates the overall quality of the performance across five artistic categories.

   Both are scored simultaneously during the program. At the elite level, TES and PCS scores are often comparable in weight, meaning a skater cannot win on jumps alone... the artistic components matter equally.

5. Why do some skaters score higher than others despite falling?

   Because the rest of their program earns enough points to overcome the fall deduction.

   A skater who lands a quad axel (+GOE), multiple level 4 spins, and earns high PCS marks can afford to absorb a -1.00 fall deduction and still outscore a competitor who skated cleanly but with lower-difficulty content. Falls are costly... they cost the deduction plus near-zero GOE on the fallen element, but elite-level base values are so high that the overall program can still dominate.

6. What is a protocol sheet in figure skating?

   A protocol sheet is the detailed scoring document every competitor receives after their event. It lists every element attempted, the base value assigned, each judge's individual GOE score, the trimmed and averaged result, and the final element total.

   It also includes each judge's PCS marks across all five components and the final factored totals. Protocol sheets are publicly available on the ISU website for all sanctioned competitions.

7. How many judges are there in figure skating?

   A full ISU competition panel includes nine judges who score GOE and PCS, plus a separate technical panel of three specialists who identify elements and assign spin/step sequence levels.

   For GOE and PCS scoring, the three highest and three lowest judge scores are trimmed before averaging, effectively meaning three judges' scores determine each final mark. This trimming system is designed to reduce the impact of any single judge's bias.

8. How is a figure skating competition structured?

   Most ISU figure skating events consist of two segments: a Short Program and a Free Skate (also called the Long Program).

   The Short Program is approximately 2 min 40 sec to 2 min 50 sec and contains required elements including a combination jump, specific solo jumps, spins, and a step sequence. 

   The Free Skate is 4 min (ladies/pairs) or 4 min 30 sec (men) and allows more creative element choice. Scores from both segments are added together, and the competitor with the highest combined total wins.