Figure skaters with Olympic aspirations must practice for at least three to four hours every day. Ballet, as well as off-ice conditioning and training, are advised. A decent example of a daily schedule is as follows: 4:45 a.m. Get up, dress, and have a light breakfast. 5:30 a.m. Begin the morning skate session that will last until about 9:00 a.m., depending on the level you are working toward. Practice technical elements (such as jumps and spins) twice during this time, plus balance, footwork, and endurance work. After the morning skate, have a healthy lunch. 2:30 p.m. End of the day's practice. Have a snack before going to bed. Sleep, nutrition, and rest are essential if you want to achieve your goals. In addition, most elite figure skaters travel with one or more coaches who help them improve their skills and give them advice. Coaches may include former top athletes who now work as figure skating instructors because they feel their knowledge can help young people learn the sport more effectively, as well as more established artists who receive compensation from sports organizations or companies who hire them to guide younger players. The number of practices required varies for different levels of competition. For example, national level competitions typically require from 20 to 40 practices before the event itself. International level competitions may call for between 80 and 100 practices.