The men’s free skate program in senior figure skating is 4 minutes long, with an allowed variation of plus or minus 10 seconds (so between 3:50 and 4:10).

Quick Scoop: How long is the men’s free skate program?

Here’s the key info in simple terms:

  • Standard duration: 4 minutes.
  • Allowed leeway: Skaters can be up to 10 seconds under or over, so the valid window is 3:50–4:10.
  • Applies to: Senior men’s singles free skate at major events (including the Olympics and ISU championships), where all senior free programs are now set to 4 minutes.
  • Past rule: In older seasons, men’s free skates were 4 minutes 30 seconds, but rules were changed so all senior free skates are now 4 minutes.

So if you’re watching a current top-level men’s free skate, you should expect it to be right around four minutes from opening pose to final pose.

Wasn’t it 4:30 before?

Some viewers still remember a longer “long program,” and they’re not wrong:

  • Earlier rules: Men’s free skates used to be 4 minutes 30 seconds.
  • Rule update: The International Skating Union adjusted the free skate duration so that all senior free programs (men, women, and pairs) are now 4 minutes (+/− 10 seconds).
  • Result: Older broadcasts or classic programs you see online may run about half a minute longer than today’s standard.

This is why you may still see conflicting mentions of 4:30 in older articles or discussions.

Related timing: short vs free skate

For extra context when you’re watching a full competition:

  • Men’s short program: 2 minutes 40 seconds, plus or minus 10 seconds.
  • Men’s free skate: 4 minutes, plus or minus 10 seconds.

That contrast is what makes the free skate feel like the big “story” program with more room for choreography and technical content.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.