Welcome to TaraRulz.com, the oldest and largest website dedicated to the 1998 Olympic, 1997 World and National, World Professional figure skating champion, and current NBC broadcaster, Tara Lipinski. Working hand and hand with Tara, we strive to be your number one source for fans across the globe for news, photos, and more, including the largest photo gallery on the web. Thank you for visiting and come again soon!
Webmaster: Angie
Online Since: September 1, 1999
Contact: Lipinski82@aol.com
DISCLAIMER:
All photos and videos belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringment intended. Contributions are always accepted and appreciated.
Header photos are copyright Tara Lipinski.
PHOTO: GOOD DAY LA POSTED BY ANGIE ON SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2016
A photo of Tara on Good Day LA has been added to the gallery.
TARA LIPINSKI & THE GOLD BARRE WORKOUT AT EQUINOX POSTED BY ANGIE ON THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016
A new “spin” on barre. inspired by Olympic Gold Medalist, Tara Lipinski, you can now train like an
Olympic Ice Skater off the ice! Your strength, balance, power and endurance will be put to the ultimate test through a sequence of exercises that prepare you for the footwork, spins and jumps typically performed on the ice. Get ready to train like an athlete and get the booty, thighs and core of one too!
THE WORKOUT
Utilizing yoga straps and gliding disks coupled with body weighted sequencing and explosive plyometrics primarily performed on a single leg, this workout is designed to deliver an intensity beyond what is typically experienced in a traditional barre class. The sequencing incorporates the graceful movement seen in an ice skaters performance and challenges the balance, flexibility, strength and endurance an Olympic skater is required to have in order to
execute intricate footwork and powerful jumps. It’s a functional workout that moves through all planes of motion
while incorporating an isometric focus that barre lovers will recognize and crave.
TARA LIPINSKI'S VISION
“Throughout my skating career I was exposed to endless fitness resources to stay in top shape to compete. When I transitioned from the ice to the broadcast booth my fitness routine took a serious hit. I began my search to find a workout that could mimic my competitive training routine and keep my body in the same shape. I went to just about every barre, spin or bootcamp class imaginable and I would walk away with bits and pieces from each class, but nothing compared to the workout I got on the ice. I strug gled to find that full body workout my body craved. I came up with the idea to design a barre class that could mimic figure skating moves and create the perfect workout. People are constantly chasing ‘the perfect booty’ and they will find it with this class. This
class will not only tone and lengthen muscles but will increase endurance and stamina as well.”
OLYMPIANS JOIN FIGHT FOR LA 2014 POSTED BY ANGIE ON THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016
Swimmer Michael Phelps and tennis champion Andre Agassi are among the dozens of Olympic and Paralympic athletes that have joined the effort to bring the Olympics to Los Angeles, LA 2024 bid committee officials announced Tuesday.
Other big names who have signed on to advise on and promote Los Angeles’ Olympic bid include tennis star Venus Williams, track and field athletes Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson, gymnast Nadia Comaneci, and winter Olympians like speedskater Apolo Ohno, snowboarder Amy Purdy and figure skaters Tara Lipinski and Michelle Kwan.
The Olympians and Paralympians make up a 53-person Athletes’ Advisory Commission that will lead a series of town halls around the country to solicit feedback from fellow athletes. Its members have collectively won 216 medals in the Games, including 142 golds.
LA 2024 bid committee officials said more athletes will continue to be added to the commission, which was officially announced at the United States Olympic Committee media summit held in Beverly Hills Tuesday.
Janet Evans, the LA 2024 bid committee’s vice chair and director of athlete relations, said the commission “will be front and center as we create the most personalized experience ever for Olympians and Paralympians.”
Lewis, who has 10 Olympic medals, said being part of a commission that includes “legends” like Evans, runner Dawn Harper-Nelson and wheelchair and ski racer Candace Cable “is not only thrilling, it is humbling.”
“Every athlete on this stage knows that the real legacy of a Games is measured in the lives, dreams and aspirations of young athletes, long after the Games are over,” Lewis said. “This AAC will help LA 2024 create a Games concept that provides the perfect experience for athletes, and ultimately, we hope, helps the Olympic and Paralympic movement inspire a brand new generation of Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls.”
The International Olympic Committee is scheduled to select a host city for the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics during a meeting in Lima, Peru in September 2017.
NBC SPORTS BRINGS IMMERSIVE FAN EXPERIENCE TO SXSW WITH THE NBC SPORTS LAWN POSTED BY ANGIE ON THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2016
What: NBC Sports is bringing the best in sports to Austin with the NBC Sports Lawn at SXSW – giving SXSW attendees a place to recharge with free beer, lawn games, charging stations, live sports and programming throughout the weekend. Fans will also be treated to a sneak peek into this year’s Rio Olympics coverage, with a discussion covering what it takes to cover, produce, market, and compete in the Games in the digital age. Additionally, visitors will receive behind-the-scenes access to NBCSN programming and have various opportunities to share the sports they love via social media.
Open daily at the Four Seasons from March 11 – 13, the NBC Sports Lawn at SXSW will feature Rio Olympic and NASCAR America discussions with NBC Sports executives and commentators; a Premier League watch party hosted by NBC Sports Premier League analyst and former MLS star Kyle Martino; and a $10,000 check presentation to the winner of CPTR’D – NBC Sports’ short-form video contest.
Most NBC Sports Lawn activities, including both discussions, will be streamed live on Periscope. Viewers can submit questions through NBC Sports’ Facebook (NBC Olympics and NASCAR on NBC) and Twitter (@NBCOlympics and @NASCARonNBC) accounts. Fans can also share their experiences and join the conversation by using #NBCSportsAtSXSW on social media.
Special programming and events include:
Rio Olympics Chat & Happy Hour (Friday, March 11; 6:00pm – 7:00pm CT): Celebrate the upcoming 2016 Rio Olympics and with cocktails and conversation about what it takes to cover, produce, market, and compete in the Olympic Games in the digital age. The discussion will feature perspectives from NBC Olympics Executive Producer Jim Bell, NBC Olympics CMO John Miller, Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski, and Golf Channel analyst David Feherty. NBC Sports’ Rob Simmelkjaer will moderate.
When: NBC Sports Lawn at SXSW is open daily:
Friday, March 11; 11:00am – 8:00pm
Where: Four Seasons Austin [off the San Jacinto Ballroom]
* Note: Only Tara's appearance informated is listed in the above article
VIDEO: REBOOT YOUR BODY: HEALTH SMART POSTED BY ANGIE ON FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2016
"Are those New Year's resolutions already in need of a reboot? KTLA's 'Problem Solvers' wants to help! All week long we are turning to the experts to bring you tips and solutions so you can hit those goals to improve your body, your bank account, your job, or even your mind!
To start it all off, our Lu Parker is tackling those mundane workout routines with a little motivation from Olympic figure skater, Tara Lipinski."
PHOTOS: GOLD BARRE POSTED BY ANGIE ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2016
Photos of Tara at her Gold Barre class have been added to the gallery.
WE TRIED IT: A TARA LIPINSKI FIGURE SKATING-INSPIRED BARRE CLASS POSTED BY ANGIE ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015
What Is It: Gold Barre is a barre-based workout – taught at Equinox gyms nationwide – that focuses on the lower body and core. The moves are inspired by the routines of Olympic gold medal winning figure skater Tara Lipinski.
Who Tried It: Gabrielle Olya, PEOPLE writer and reporter
Level of Difficulty: 7 (on a scale from 1 to 10). If you’ve done a barre class before, you should be able to do most of the moves, but some of the movements unique to this class (especially the ones involving balance) were very challenging.
As a fan of Tara Lipinski growing up, I have to admit I was fangirling a little bit when I got the opportunity to work out with her and try out a class that she helped to create.
We started the workout on the barre, where we went through a challenging series of squats and leg lifts. We then moved to the center of the room, where we stepped on gliding discs to help mimic the feel of ice-skating. I had never used gliders before, so it was really fun for me to feel like I was on the ice in the middle of a barre studio!
The class then moved through a series of jumps and one-legged balancing exercises – which were really hard! Our instructor talked us through the moves as if we were doing our own on-ice routines, which gave the class a unique spin and made it more fun.
We finished the class doing core work on the floor, so by the end of the class my legs, butt and abs were all so sore!
“It’s light-hearted, as well as intense cardio,” Lipinski tells PEOPLE of the class. “You have the base of barre, which is the lengthening for long, lean muscles, but you also have more cardio, which targets endurance. Also, skaters use balance as a huge part of their spinning and jumping, so a lot of this class is that.”
Lipinski says she wanted to develop a class that targeted the small muscles in the glutes, hamstrings, calves and back that traditional barre classes sometimes miss.
“You can feel those muscles twitching [during the class], but then the next day I always feel these small muscles that are my balance muscles come alive again,” she says. “It really targets your booty! When I haven’t been working out and I go on the ice, I can’t walk the next day, and I find that that’s happening with the class – and that’s good!”
The Verdict: While I definitely am not as graceful as Tara Lipisnki, the class helped me channel my inner figure skater. It was a high-energy, heart rate raising class that definitely made me feel sore in all the right places.
FRIDAY FITNESS FIX: GOLD BARRE POSTED BY ANGIE ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2015
Barre classes are all about ballet, right? Wrong. The new Gold Barre class at Equinox is inspired by ice skating, with a program developed to mimic what a figure skater would do on the ice. If it sounds difficult it's because it is, but the results promise both strength and stamina.
Gold Barre has some heavyweight names behind it; along with Nicole De Anda, who heads up Barre at Equinox, and celebrity trainer Amy Dixon, the program is the brainchild of US figure skater Tara Lipinski, who won Olympic Gold in 1998 aged 15 - it's worth Googling her winning performance, although maybe wait until after your class.
The hour class starts with a warm-up at the barre in the light-filled Equinox yoga studio, which I would argue is one of the best in London with lovely views over Kensington rooftops. This part of the class involves some of the ballet moves that make up normal barre classes. We then moved to the centre of the room for lunges using gliding discs - flat pads, the size of a Frisbee - under one foot at a time. The focus on strengthening one leg really challenges your balance and core stability.
Then it's back to the barre to work on sit spins (when a skater crouches down with one leg extended out in front of them, and turns really fast). The moves were stationary (you don't actually spin), but these exercises were particularly hard - although thankfully much easier than on the ice. After spins, we returned to the floor for jumps to get our heart rates up and reach the fat burning zone, which a skater can achieve within just two laps of the rink.
To finish, we did some intense core and upper body work on the mat, again using the gliding discs to stretch out. By the end of the hour we hadn't expected to get so much of a sweat on, but the class is tough and a welcome change to the usual barre format.
Classes come as part of an Equinox membership at £186 per month; www.equinox.com.
VIDEO: HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT - FULL EPISODE POSTED BY ANGIE ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2016
The full episode of Tara's appearance of 'Hollywood Game Night' is now available to watch online. The episode will only be available for the next several weeks.
PHOTOS: RADIO CITY CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR POSTED BY ANGIE ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2016
Photos from Tara attending the Radio City Christmas Spectacular last December have been added to the gallery. Tara led the pre-skate warm-up, skated and met with guests, and spoke to attendees who weren't skating at The Sea Grill restaurant.
THIS EQUINOX CLASS TAKES BARRE IN AN EXCITING NEW DIRECTION POSTED BY ANGIE ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2016
When I was growing up, the highlight of the winter Olympics was always the figure skating. I loved the music, the costumes, the grace, and, of course, the gravity-defying jumps, which I would "practice" in socks and a nightgown on my living room rug. Sure, it wasn't quite the same thing as being on ice, but in my mind I was completing a flawless triple Salchow that would bring the crowd to their feet.
I never found much personal success in the rink, but I still find watching Olympic performances magical. I've come to respect skaters not only for their beautiful, balletic movements, but also for their strength and endurance as they jump, spin, and glide through their four-minute long programs. (P.S. Figure skating is one of the winter sports that torches the most calories.)
Figure skating has long been a sport that's hard to access as a beginner, especially when you're an adult. You might get on the rink once or twice a year around the holidays, but that's probably about it. It's not like cyclists who can get their fix at spin, ballerina lovers who can head to barre, or Missy Franklin fans who can hit the pool.
But that's about to change, thanks to none other than Tara Lipinski, who stunned the world when she won Olympic gold in ladies' skating singles at 15 years old during the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. This past month, Lipinski launched Gold Barre at Equinox, a class that brings elements of an on-ice figure skating routine to the studio.
After she went pro, Lipinski spent years switching from one workout fad to another, constantly searching for something that reflected the challenges of her Olympics training. Barre finally felt like a better fit. (Try our At-Home Barre Workout.)
"It was the first time that I really noticed results, but I felt that there were still things you get on ice that you don't get in a normal barre class," Lipinski says. "Barre is great at targeting small muscles, but I wasn't getting a full cardio workout."
The Olympian approached Equinox with the idea for an ice skating-inspired barre class. The result of those conversations is a 45- to 55-minute class that mimics the sequencing of a skating routine.
First up is a twelve-minute warmup at the barre where you'll do a series of graceful, dynamic moves. Then it's time to hit the ice, so to speak. Everyone goes to the center of the room, takes a pair of gliding discs, and goes through a series of stroking and footwork exercises. That's followed by spins at the barre (you wrap a yoga strap around the barre for help with balance), a jumping sequence in the center of the room, a brief thirty seconds of active recovery, and a final jumping sequence.
"By the time a skater gets to her first jump in her program, her legs are already fatigued," says Nicole De Anda, Equinox's National Barre Manager. "That's what we designed this program to feel like. After all of the warmup, the stroking, and the footwork, when you finally get to the jumping sequence, your legs are tired."
That's what makes a skating-inspired barre class the ultimate workout. While traditional barre classes focus primarily on strength, Gold Barre's skating elements challenge your cardiovascular and muscular endurance, De Anda says.
Your butt will thank you for it.
"Compare a ballerina's booty to an ice skater's booty," De Anda says. "This class gives you an ice skater's booty, which is still strong and toned, just like a ballerina's, but has more curviness." (You should still try the The Butt Workout a Professional Ballerina Swears By)
Adds Lipinski, "Skaters are definitely known for that and I never thought twice about it, but when I get on the ice now my glutes are definitely burning."
Don't expect your traditional barre soundtrack, either. Gold Barre is set to instrumental music, the kind that would accompany a skater in her routine, but with undertones of EDM and hip-hop to give it an edge.
The class launched first at select Equinox locations in California and will be followed by locations in New York City, Boston, and more beginning in April.
While, I may never get to the Olympics, at least now I have a place to get my fill of spins and jumps. Join me on the "ice"?
VIDEO CLIP: HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT POSTED BY ANGIE ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016
Watch a preview from Tara's newest episode of 'Hollywood Game Night' below. Tara's episode airs on Tuesday, February 2 at 8PM on NBC.
VIDEOS: 2016 U.S. NATIONALS PREVIEW POSTED BY ANGIE ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2016
PHOTOS: HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT POSTED BY ANGIE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2016
Photos from Tara's apperance on season 4 of 'Hollywood Game Night' have been added to the gallery. This was Tara's second appearance on the game show.
VIDEO: 'WORST CASE SENARIO' POSTED BY ANGIE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2016
VIDEO: INSIDE THE EDGE: ADAM RIPPON JOINS TARA AND JOHNNY POSTED BY ANGIE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2016
"Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir sit down to talk to Adam Rippon about one important factor in skating--the hair. Rippon explains why he opted for edgy colors at the beginning of the season and his current demure style."
VIDEO: INSIDE THE EDGE: TARA AND JOHNNY'S BACKSTAGE TOUR POSTED BY ANGIE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2016
"Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski give viewers a sneak peak of all of the backstage areas at the U.S. National Figure Skating Championships."
VIDEO: INSIDE THE EDGE: JOHNNY WEIR, TARA LIPINSKI AND MERYL DAVIS WATCH PRACTICE POSTED BY ANGIE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 2016
"Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir catchup with Meryl Davis to take a look at the on-ice dance practice and learn about Davis' own warm-up routines with Charlie White."
VIDEO: TARA LIPINSKI AND JOHNNY WEIR BRING FASHION FLAIR POSTED BY ANGIE ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016
"Champion skaters and current figure skating analysts Lipinski and Weir talk about what they like about Minnesotans and who to watch in U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the X."
VIDEO: FIGURE SKATING CHAPMIONSHIPS TAKE XCEL ICE POSTED BY ANGIE ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016
"Bill Hudson chats with figure skating greats Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir at the Xcel Energy Center (2:38). WCCO 4 News At 6 – January 21, 2016"
FIGURE SKATING CHAPMIONSHIPS TAKE XCEL ICE POSTED BY ANGIE ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — The best figure skaters in the country are lacing up in St. Paul where the competition to crown champions in men’s, ladies, pairs and dance is underway.
It’s a sport with a long tradition in Minnesota – and a rich history of figure skating competitors, clubs and promoters.
Who knows better what that means than a former U.S champion and Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski and her colleague, three-time National champion Johnny Weir.
Minnesotans have embraced figure skating since pioneers took to frozen ponds. It’s a rich history that’s reached a much higher level.
“We’ve been in their skates, if you will, and we know what’s on the line and how much pressure it is,” Lipinski said.
The 1998 Olympic Gold Medalist and former U.S. Champion Johnny Weir agree, that few athletes feel the intense level of pressure that figure skaters do.
“It’s all or nothing,” Weir said. “We have six minutes to show judges that we deserve to go further in our career.”
That’s exactly what the singles skaters, pairs and dance teams are striving for over the next few days in St. Paul. All eyes, both in the crowd and on television, will be watching their artistry, athleticism and technical perfection.
“And to be one of those two or three skaters or teams to make the World or Olympic team, it takes everything you your family and coaches have,” Weir said.
“It’s the emotion,” one mother of a competing pairs skater said.
Sherry and Steve Sidhu are in town from Las Vegas to watch the pairs competition. They are hopeful that their son Zack and his partner, Jessica Calalang, can win it all.
“They work all year and train for the two, 3 to 5 minute programs that culminates a year of training,” Steve Sidhu said.
Tara and Johnny know that arduous routine all too well, but add that the true award in figure skating, lasts far beyond the rink.
“You realize how much you love the sport and how much passion there really is,” Lipinski said. “And when you move on in life, it’s easier to tact to where you want to go and how to approach that.”
For the Senior level ladies skaters, Tara and Johnny say it’s likely going to come down to a battle between Ashley Wagner and Gracie Gold. Both skaters have won the national title before and each wants to do so again.
On the men’s side, they say to watch for Max Aaron, Adam Rippon and the dark horse skater, Nathan Chen to come out at or near the top.
U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS MEN'S PREVIEW POSTED BY ANGIE ON FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2015
The U.S. Figure Skating Championships include zero men’s singles Olympians for the first time since 1968, providing opportunity for breakthroughs this weekend.
The field is without these skaters:
Jeremy Abbott, two-time Olympian and four-time U.S. champion (taking the season off) Jason Brown, Sochi Olympian and 2015 U.S. champion (back injury) Joshua Farris, 2015 U.S. bronze medalist (concussion)
“Hope is bubbling up,” 1998 Olympic champion and NBC Sports analyst Tara Lipinski said. “Every skater is thinking, I have a shot now. … This is going to be the most wide-open men’s event that I’ve seen in a long time.”
Icenetwork.com will stream the short program from St. Paul, Minn., on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET. NBC and NBC Sports Live Extra will air the free skate during coverage Sunday from 4-6 p.m. ET.
The winner Sunday will earn a place in the World Championships in Boston in two months.
The other two Worlds team spots could go to the silver and bronze medalists, but a U.S. Figure Skating committee will make the final decision. Brown could also petition for a spot on the team, complicating the selection process.
Here’s a look at men’s skaters to watch:
Max Aaron
Age: 23
Hometown: Colorado Springs, Colo.
Credentials: 2013 U.S. champion; 2015 Skate America champion
Aaron is the favorite not only because he is the only past national champion in the field, but also because he won Skate America in October, becoming the first U.S. man since 2011 to take a Grand Prix title. However, Aaron was seventh in the short program in his last Grand Prix skate on Nov. 13, at Trophée Bompard in France before the free skate was canceled due to the Paris attacks.
Lipinski’s Take: “He’s the most prepared we’ve ever seen him. He’s always been athletic. He’s always had the quads, but he’s focusing so much on the artistic side, adding in that grace, which he needed … Skate America blew me away. He’s changed people’s minds with that performance.”
Adam Rippon
Age: 26
Hometown: Los Angeles
Credentials: 2012, ’15 U.S. silver medalist
Rippon, like friend and training partner Ashley Wagner, has questioned his place and future in the sport during ups and downs the last few years. The 2008 and 2009 World junior champion was eighth at the 2014 U.S. Championships but returned to the podium last year, which he described as a “scenic reborn.” He placed fourth in his two Grand Prix skates this season, with a best score 10.32 points shy of Aaron’s total at Skate America.
“When I was younger, I kind of felt the weight of the world,” Rippon said last week. “I came up in a time when it was [2010 Olympians] Johnny [Weir] and Evan [Lysacek] and Jeremy [Abbott]. I felt like the fourth or sometimes fifth wheel. … When Johnny and Evan retired, I kind of felt like it was my chance to push through. I put so much pressure on myself. … When it came down to it, and I was trying to get that Olympic spot, I put all those pressures on myself again.”
Lipinski’s Take: “Adam you can never count out. He has a quad Lutz in his repertoire. Who does a quad Lutz? If he skates clean, Max better watch out.”
Nathan Chen
Age: 16
Hometown: Irvine, Calif.
Credentials: 2014 U.S. junior champion; 2015 Junior Grand Prix Final champion
Chen came to the 2015 U.S. Championships as arguably the most intriguing skater, looking to become the youngest men’s medalist since 1973. He finished eighth but was dealing with back and heel injuries, according to International Figure Skating magazine.
Chen looks healthier this season after winning the Junior Grand Prix Final in December, attempting three quads in his free skate (falling on one and crashing on a triple Axel). Three men in this year’s field finished higher than Chen at last year’s Nationals.
Lipinski’s Take: “He’s still my dark horse. Undefeated all season. He may add four quads into his free skate.”
When I was growing up, the highlight of the winter Olympics was always the figure skating. I loved the music, the costumes, the grace, and, of course, the gravity-defying jumps, which I would "practice" in socks and a nightgown on my living room rug. Sure, it wasn't quite the same thing as being on ice, but in my mind I was completing a flawless triple Salchow that would bring the crowd to their feet.
