How do I record my child's skating practice to get the best AI analysis?

Great question! The best recordings come from positioning your phone or camera so we can see your skater from the side—think of it like you're sitting in the boards watching them skate across the ice. This angle captures the full arc of jumps, spins, and footwork that our analysis needs.

Steady footage matters more than perfect lighting. If you're holding your phone, try bracing it against the boards or using a small tripod. Natural rink lighting is usually fine; you don't need studio-quality video. Aim to keep your skater roughly centered in the frame as they move through their pass, and if they're working on a specific element, film that section a few times—we can analyze all of it.

Avoid filming from directly behind or in front of them for jumps, since that flattens the perspective we need to see edge quality and rotation. A side angle of 45 degrees is perfect if you can manage it. Record in landscape orientation, and make sure there's enough of the ice visible so we can see their setup and landing.

One practical tip: film their practice when they're fresh and focused, rather than at the very end of the session. That's when you'll capture their best technique for us to analyze.

Want to see this in your child's skating? SkateMarks analyzes every jump with per-second AI coaching notes.