Off-ice conditioning - recommendations?

[sk8mommy]

I'm a new skater (39 years old) and know that some off-ice conditioning is in order. I lost 20 lbs this year with Weight Watchers, after my 2nd baby was born, but sadly I have not been exercising. Now, I know I need to do something (probably many things) to help me with my strength, cardio, flexibility and overall fitness level.

With my schedule, videos would probably work best....if I'm going to be away from home, it will be at the rink. I have been thinking about Pilates. From what I can see it's a good fit for skaters. Cardio, I'm not sure....maybe some fun dance videos. I've also been checking out Dance Dance Revolution for the Xbox or Playstation, which seems cool.

I thought I'd ask your opinions. Have you tried any good Pilates, dance, "ballet workout" or other videos that you'd recommend, or that helped you improve your conditioning for skating?

If this has been addressed in another thread, just point me in the right direction. I did a search but couldn't find it.

Kathy

[froggy]

I've taken some pilates classes and currently take ballet class, I think especially for these two disciplines it's wise to take it under the guidance of someone who knows what they are talking about than by video since many positions in ballet and pilates (and I would say yoga as well) when not done properly can lead to more damage than good (body misaligned etc.). If you cannot make it to a class I would recommend to take out a cardio video for aerobic work and then ask your coach for specific off ice exercises to help you for your skating level (ie: squats..1 food squats...jump rope and for core strengh-sit ups and push ups) as well as good streches that you can do off the ice (ie: spiral, quads and hamstrings etc). It may also be a good idea to start off with some low intensity free weight training with like 2-5 pound weights doing 3 sets of 15 reps on each arm flexing, extension, abduction/adduction -with your arms on your side bring your arms up and down as if they were wings and you are flying. ---its best if you can do weights in front of a mirror for help in correct positiong you can also do weights while sitting on an exercise ball-helps develop core strengh.

with a program combining all of the above you work out your flexibility, core strengh, and strengh in both your arms and legs, aerobic, and anaerobic activity--jumprope very fast). You'll see improvements in your skating, increased muscle mass, and calories flying away!!

Good luck!!
happy skating

[Perry]

DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) can be really, really great exercise (I can burn 25 calories in a single, minute-long song, which is more than twice what I can do running or on an elliptical). That said, it takes a LOT of practice before you can get to the level where its any type of exercise (I've been playing for two years). There's a lot going on when you're playing too -- flashing lights, animated characters, music vidoes, songs, and moving arrows all at once -- which drives some people (my mom can't stand it) crazy. But if you're willing to put in the time, it's definitely a great idea.

Also, when you start spinning and jumping, core strength is hugely important. It hepls you avoid back strain and improves your stability, making landings a lot easier. If you haven't already, find someone (a trainer or physical therapist) to teach you how to do a real crunch that will work more than your superficial abs (you need to suck you stomach in like your belly button is touching your back, but in a way that you're sucking in and not up and can still breathe normally, all while you do the crunch). Stability balls are also great for doing crunches, and they're not very expensive. Stretch whenever you start to skate and, ideally, after you finish and after you take a shower (your muscles will be warmer), but don't overdo it. If you don't have strong quadriceps, work on building them, as they help a lot with jumping, and concentrate on lunges and squats (doing one legged squats on some sort of unstable surface or without shoes helps both strength and balance). As for cardio, biking is supposedly the best in terms of its similarities to skating, but doing anything at all will help (swimming is another great X-training exercise).

[2salch0w]

I'm a new skater (39 years old) and know that some off-ice conditioning is in order. I lost 20 lbs this year with Weight Watchers, after my 2nd baby was born, but sadly I have not been exercising. Now, I know I need to do something (probably many things) to help me with my strength, cardio, flexibility and overall fitness level.

With my schedule, videos would probably work best....if I'm going to be away from home, it will be at the rink. I have been thinking about Pilates. From what I can see it's a good fit for skaters. Cardio, I'm not sure....maybe some fun dance videos. I've also been checking out Dance Dance Revolution for the Xbox or Playstation, which seems cool.

Kathy

I've found yoga to be a great complement to skating. There are many different kinds, but the one I prefer is Ashtanga, as it focuses on strength and flexibility. There are also variations that work more on relaxation and breathing, and even more aerobic forms. You should be able to find plenty of videos on the topic. I've seen full "kits" in the book stores and Target, where you get the mat, a video, straps, blocks -- all the torture devices you'll need. :)

DDR sounds interesting - I've heard good things about it.

Tim

[blisspix]

Totally agree that you need an instructor for pilates, ballet etc. Almost everyone needs corrections with these to get the positions right. Once you've been doing them for a while though, I could imagine that you'd be able to do them alone.

Does your rink offer any classes in stretching and strength to get you started? Also check out the book, Conditioning for Figure Skating. You could also ask your coach for specific exercises to do.

Other stuff... I go cycling once a week or so, about 6-12km depending on weather and mood. It's great for quads and general cardio fitness.

As for flexibility, I've always had poor flexibility especially in my back. When I started skating, I couldn't touch my toes (missed by about 12 inches). With daily stretches, I could touch my toes in about 6 months. Ballet is good for flexibility, but you do need to do extra stretching outside of dance class to be able to do ronde de jambe etc (and sprials etc on ice).

DDR - yikes! I'd never thought of it for skating, but it'd be good!

[jazzpants]

Uh oh! DDR??? Hmmmm? Good cardio. (Shhhh! Don't tell my coworkers but...I have DDR too!!! They already think that I'm loco. This just adds more fuel to their cause!!! :twisted: )

I do elliptical trainer for cardio. Much easier on the joints!!!

And totally agree on pilates and ballet. You should get someone trained in it to do pilates and ballet. Body alignment is the name of the game for both and, trust me, it's not something you can just go and pick up from a video. And yes, particularly with pilates, if you're not doing exercise properly, you can easily injure yourself. (I'm being watch by a trainer and I pray to God my streak of never getting injured from pilates still stands for a while.)

[BelleOnIce]

If you have access to a playstation 2 I would recommend Nike Kinetics. Its a workout "game" for the PS2.
Using an eye toy for the playstation there are 4 types of areas you can work on - cardio (fast moving dance like exercises) , combat (hitting targets shown on screen, really gets your muscles working) , toning (things like squats are covered here) and also mind & body section (which covers yoga and meditation).
You so excerces with the camera on you and it gives you help on how to improve. If you enter your height, weight, fitness level extra it can give you a 12 week plan.
Iv probably not described it very well but there is a website - www.eyetoykinetic.com

Iv bought it here in the UK, but im pretty sure it is available everywhere!

Belle

[Kevin Callahan]

DDR at home simply isn't the same as DDR at the arcade. For about $1000 though you can actually buy a used arcade machine and keep it in your house. I knowa person who ended up collecting them... and then just turned around and rented them out for functions and stuff. He now runs his own arcade rental business. Normally I wouldn't just be like "buy one!" but when I realize that most of us are spending near that amount on one set of skates anyway, a grand no longer seems like a lot of money.

[Skate@Delaware]

Congrats on your weight loss! I do cardio and pilates. My cardio class is a mix of cardio and resistance bands and sometimes she adds plyometrics. It's a class at the rink just for skaters. The pilates is great and I've taken off 1.5 inches from my waist just from firming it up.

My daughter did cardio-kickboxing in school one year for gym class and lost 15 pounds. She really liked it.

You have to find something you like in order to stick with it, and sometimes add variety to keep it from getting boring.

[skateflo]

Just a word of caution - please don't jump right in to lots of exercise! You need to start very slowly! Skating alone will give you exercise that you haven't had in awhile. You also have to think of any old injuries during your lifetime, that while seemed to have fully healed, could reoccur if your exercise program is too strenuous. It is wonderful that you have lost the weight! Good for you!

I have to agree with some here that videos can be a hinderance. I tried one once, loved doing it and got through most of the video, but my body suffered for a week afterward!! Too much, too soon. And it is very easy to not know that your body is not aligned properly unless you have a room full of mirrors!

Check around and see if you can find a personal trainer to come to your house, even for one session, to assess your current condition and design a program for you - small weights, resistance bands, maybe a step and or stability ball should be the most you need.

Let us know how you progress!

Welcome to skating!!

[techskater]

Or check your local health club and see if you can get a month membership and learn Pilates and or Yoga correctly then do it with a video. I started Pilates in a studio first in a beginner class of 5 where we got lots of individual attention and correction. I have since moved to the local health club where most classes are free (including Pilates, weight express, and hatha yoga). If I didn't know Pilates before, I would have seriously hindered the class or done it incorrectly. You can start by skating a few days a week and then in couple months add in some off-ice.

Good luck

[sk8mommy]

Thank you for all of the input and suggestions.

While I've been very active in the past, lately my activity has been restricted to either carrying my children around during my pregnancies, afterwards carrying them around as babies, and now chasing them around as toddlers. Not that those things don't constitute activity, but I know that to be able to do the things I'll be asking of my body in skating, I'll need more formal "exercise".

I was thinking of exercise videos because they would allow me to be at home with my family. This is very important to me with 2 small children and a full time job. It's even more important now with my new skating schedule and if I plan to get any decent practice time in.

Points well taken in that I need to have the advice and training of a professional for pilates, yoga or ballet. So maybe those can wait for the time being. In the past, the best physical shape I was in was 10 years ago (time flies!) and (honestly!) due solely to daily exercise video workouts and weight watchers. I rotated cardio and light weights on alternating days and took 1 day off a week to rest. I joined a gym once I was in pretty good shape for variety, and didn't end up going very often. When I signed up, the trainers there couldn't believe it when I told them I did it all on my own with exercise videos...they were sure I was coming from another club! I do believe there are some very good videos out there that can be just as good, if not better than, a gym workout. That said, there are some pretty lousy ones too. (I've bought my share)...just because someone has the ability to cut an exercise video doesn't make them a good instructor, and I think they need to be even better to properly teach on a video, because they cannot observe their students. BTW, if any of you wants a good source for videos and reviews, on a general level try collage video and also videofitness.com. Both are great resources. I couldn't find a lot specific to figure skating on these sites, but they're awesome if you're just looking for opinions on a specific video.

I promise I will start slowly. I have a tendency to enter into things full steam ahead, and I promised myself I would purposely go slow with figure skating. I really want to do this for the enjoyment and beauty of the sport. I really want to feel my edges and get in touch with how my body moves and what it can do. I am one of those who would be ready and willing to learn figures if the opportunity was made available to me. I'm sure I'll fight my natural tendency at times to try to be my typical overachiever self with this, but at this point in my life, the enjoyment is number one Improving my skills are really for the ultimate goal of enjoying the sport more, not for competing with anyone else or anyone else's standard. Plus, for someone living in Florida who hates the heat, it is the perfect sport! I know many people envy me living in "paradise", but the sweaty, sticky, buggy summer, spring, fall and some of winter is the anti-paradise to me! (crazy, huh?!).


I think it is good advice for me to consult a personal trainer. Maybe they could recommend videos or something similar that would work and be safe for me. That might be a good compromise. I really prefer videos....they are more fun for me, especially if the music is good. I get very bored with bike riding, machines, and even walking....none of those things has the "fun factor" I need to keep me motivated and coming back, if you know what I mean. It sounds like DDR might be something to try and so does EyeToy Kinetics. Jazzpants, you don't sound loco to me....just active. In my opinion, you could be on a jumprope team and be light years ahead of most of the population in regards to taking care of your body and getting exercise. Whatever works for you....go for it! Let the others talk....you're doing it!

You are so right about old injuries....my right ankle was sprained several years ago, and I can already see in my limited skating experience that it will be my stubborn spot.

Guess I've "talked" your ears off enough for the night. Thanks for the information and inspiration!
Kathy

[Shinn-Reika]

DDR at home simply isn't the same as DDR at the arcade. For about $1000 though you can actually buy a used arcade machine and keep it in your house. I knowa person who ended up collecting them... and then just turned around and rented them out for functions and stuff. He now runs his own arcade rental business. Normally I wouldn't just be like "buy one!" but when I realize that most of us are spending near that amount on one set of skates anyway, a grand no longer seems like a lot of money.

I agree DDR Arcade FTW

[wisniew]

Thank you for all of the input and suggestions.

While I've been very active in the past, lately my activity has been restricted to either carrying my children around during my pregnancies, afterwards carrying them around as babies, and now chasing them around as toddlers. Not that those things don't constitute activity, but I know that to be able to do the things I'll be asking of my body in skating, I'll need more formal "exercise".

<Snip ... >
Kathy

I may have mentioned this in passing in another thread but Carl Poe's book
"Conditioning for Skating : Off-Ice Techniques for On-Ice Performance" is
excellent.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/157028220X/qid=1138051745/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl14/104-4356391-0043924?n=507846&s=books&v=glance

It is a bit "thorough" meaning overwhelming ... but he hits on all of good stuff; skating venue, "gym" venue and a fair amount that can be done at home. It is more or less geared for the full-time skater, but it is pretty scalable.

Joe

[kayskate]

I have gone to aerobics classes for yrs. I just started kickboxing recently. Love it. I like to have a good stretch after a cardio workout b/c my muscles are very warm and pliable. I started jogging last spring. Wish I did that yrs ago. Love running. I do it outside, weather permitting or on a treadmill. The challenge of distance really improve stamina. I also swim laps. Build up gradually. You do not have to run a mile or do high impact aerobics on your first day. I started out small and am very happy w/ how much I have improved. My stamina, strength and flexibility have become quite good.

Kay

[coskater64]

I used to do Yoga but when I started skating I changed over to pilates. I like pilates so much that I have a reformer and a cadillac in my basement so when I want I can work on little picky details. Over the past few months I have taken up ballet to work on my arms and over body movement. I did all these things very slowly and so far they seem to help. It took me a long time to realize that I had to cross train, so I congratulate you on being so astute.:lol:

[sk8mommy]

Thanks for the tips (and the compliment, coskater64).
I wish I could get into something like running or walking, but those kinds of things have just always bored me to tears....plus, it is simply toooo darn hot in Fla for that kind of craziness....I'd much rather be freezing my butt off in an ice rink than giving myself a heat stroke ;). Like I always say...you can always put more clothes on to get warm, but if it's hot...the only way to cool down is go inside in the AC! I tried treadmills and bikes, but that lasts about 10 minutes, and I'm ready for something new. I'm actually pretty lazy, when I come to think about it...believe it or not, skating has been the first physical activity that I've actually looked forward to doing. Sad, I know! :roll: (Actually, look forward is an understatement....I'm almost always thinking about it!)

I know it's been recommended that I don't try to do Pilates on my own, but I've been researching some videos and found a few that seem to be very highly recommended and good for balance, posture and coordination as well. They may not technically be Pilates like you'd do in a studio, but maybe they're better described as Pilates-Based, with a blend of some yoga and ballet moves. One is Kari Andersen Angles Lines and Curves and another is The Method Standing Pilates Blend. Given my limited time, it simply isn't realistic for me to join a gym or another class right now....but I could do a video in the am or pm at home, and at least mommy would be home with the kids. I'll also take a look at the book recommended above. I'll let you know what I end up choosing and how it goes!
Kathy

[mikawendy]

I know it's been recommended that I don't try to do Pilates on my own, but I've been researching some videos and found a few that seem to be very highly recommended and good for balance, posture and coordination as well. They may not technically be Pilates like you'd do in a studio, but maybe they're better described as Pilates-Based, with a blend of some yoga and ballet moves. One is Kari Andersen Angles Lines and Curves and another is The Method Standing Pilates Blend. Given my limited time, it simply isn't realistic for me to join a gym or another class right now....but I could do a video in the am or pm at home, and at least mommy would be home with the kids. I'll also take a look at the book recommended above. I'll let you know what I end up choosing and how it goes!
Kathy

My father started doing Pilates while he and my mother were pinching pennies (for $$$ roof repairs on their house). He started out with a few classes to get him going on the proper technique and then kept up with videos until they got the roof fixed and he felt like he could sign up for a whole set of classes. Perhaps you could arrange one session sometime with a Pilates teacher to focus on some things you could work on on your own (you know, things to think about when you do X exercise, be sure you don't do Y, etc.)

Also, a note about swimming--I don't think swimming has been mentioned in this thread, but I've heard from others before that swimming and skating don't mix in that it's not a great idea to swim before you plan to skate in the same day. Something gets wonky--I'd bet it has to do with how the body senses gravity, but I'm not sure. Some people use swimming to supplement their exercise, but not the same day as a competition, test, or lesson unless it's after the skating is done. I used to swim for exercise but haven't in a long time because of difficulty getting access to a pool with hours that match mine (and because I'd prefer to be on the ice)!

[Mrs Redboots]

I may have mentioned this in passing in another thread but Carl Poe's book
"Conditioning for Skating : Off-Ice Techniques for On-Ice Performance" is
excellent.Thanks for reminding me - I borrowed my off-ice trainer's copy and she wants it back. Have just gone to put it in my skate bag so I won't forget.

[Mrs Redboots]

.believe it or not, skating has been the first physical activity that I've actually looked forward to doing. Sad, I know! :roll: (Actually, look forward is an understatement....I'm almost always thinking about it!) I totally believe you - I'm the same way, myself. But you're already discovering the truth of the saying that was current among AOSS sufferers five or six years ago:

You start skating to avoid having to go the gym, but very soon you end up going to the gym anyway, to improve your skating!

Swimming's great, but do it after skating, not before - and don't even think about going in the sauna if you plan to skate within the next 24 hours!