Off-season training – what to focus on?
Summer is nearly here!
Hello everyone! I missed you last week! I took a little break from work since I rarely ever take breaks and I’m back and I wanted to talk about off-season training. Now that summer is around the corner, it opens up so many options for different types of outdoor activities, but this also means many ice rinks are closing.
Does your rink stay open all year round?
The rink closest to my home closed already in March and only reopens in October! So in order to skate I have to drive like an hour, which is not crazy, but I just prefer to work out on my own time and have so much work and school things to do, that I just skate less during off season. But this doesn’t mean I don’t do sports.
If your rink closes like mine
And you still want to do workouts that can benefit you on the ice, I’ve got some ideas for you. First and foremost the workouts to do depend a little on the level that you skate. For high level skaters, there’s obviously no time off, but for hobby skaters and retired skaters like me, we get to choose what we do, when we do and how we do it. So that’s what I’d like to focus on a bit more. I think summer is really the best time to focus on your off ice training, because as soon as the weather gets worse, you’ll be back at the rink, without having the freedom to workout outside. So having your rink be closed, can actually be quite a blessing!
So what should I work on?
To progress on the ice, it’s vital to train everything you do on the ice, also off ice. Basics of everything is your core muscles. Followed by your jumping ability, flexibility and technique and stamina. Figure skating is such a versatile sport, that there are plenty of options how to train all the above mentioned aspects.
Core muscles
I’ve done my fair share of workouts in the past and I’ve probably done thousands of different exercises to strengthen my core and I believe that still to this day I have quite a strong core. What I’ve seen to be most effective for training core muscles that are as similar to figure skating muscles as possible – pilates. I absolutely love the reformer, but those trainings can be very pricy and it doesn’t have to be the reformer. Pilates exercises can be done at home or in studio using your body or light weights. They are incredibly effective for your core strength, mobility and also coordination. I believe pilates to be one of the most effective ways of training your cores.
Jumping ability
Easiest solution for this is jumprope. But there are quite a few other effective exercises to train your jumping. Start by training with a good solid jump rope which also helps with stamina. Other exercises for jumping ability should be done with the right technique and this is something for another blog post. Training jumps can be quite heavy on the knees, so any workout you do, you must follow how you feel. No need for injuries right?
Flexibility
I remember back in the day we used to just sit 3 minutes of splits from the chairs and that was the stretching part. Now that I’m not a 12-year old I see flexibility from a different angle. I admit I still sit the 3 minutes of splits every now and then, because I like having flexible legs, but for overall wellbeing it’s more important to have overall body mobility. For this I recommend choosing some yoga flow or actual stretching classes. There are plenty to find on youtube. But do not stretch when you’re not warm! By warm I mean that you need to warm up your muscles for the stretches. And this can be done with a light jog or a walk or some body warm up exercises.
Technique
A difficult topic to cover in this blog post, but basically this is something that we skaters tend to forget. All elements get easier on the ice, when you learn them first off-ice. It’s easier to control our balance off the ice and therefore even having a private lesson with a coach to check your technique can be very helpful. I recommend recording the session so you can look back and correct your mistakes yourself. Working on your technique twice a week off ice can have a very big impact on your on ice feel. If you’re someone who likes inline skating, do bare in mind that the technique on inlines differs a lot. This is mainly because your balance is completely different on inlines. Otherwise I love inlines and they are a great option for a skating alternative!
Stamina
And last but not least – stamina. If you’re at a level where you want to skate a 2-minute skating program, then stamina needs focusing. Plus it’s good for the heart to get heart pumping. Running or treadmill are the best options. Although if you don’t love running – like me, there are many other ways. Swimming is one of the best, but can be a little complicated as you need a swimming pool. An easy and quick exercise only needs a jump rope. *You can do jump rope single jumps – 3 min nonstop jumps – 2 min break – 2 min nonstop jumps – 1 min break – 1 min nonstop jumps. This will get you breathing heavy. You can also go for a 5 min run, 10 min walk and like this for an hour. Or go roller blading – one of my personal favourites. These are just a few examples.
Conclusion
In conclusion there’s so many lovely ways to stay in shape when your rink is closed for the summer. I’m excited to share a bit more of different exercise I do, to stay in shape!
