Stretching Regimen for Off-Ice?

[JessicaLynn]

I am an adult skater who currently skates 2 days a week with a coach, and then usually 1 or 2 open skate sessions on the weekends. There is an off-ice program available, but I can't do it. My coach recommends stretching at home, but the problem is that I don't know exactly the best way and best stretches to do, how long should the stretching last, etc?

If anyone can give me a basic stretching regimen that I can do daily or whatever, that would be awesome! I need it so that my muscles stay loose, and also for achieving back, leg flexibility, etc.

Thanks in advance!

[jenlyon60]

At a minimum, try to stretch the following muscles:

quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, calves plus some abs work and obliques work.

A good source for information on stretching is Bob Anderson's Stretching (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0936070226/sr=8-1/qid=1141669213/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-1434674-1249764?%5Fencoding=UTF8).

Another source for more skating specific conditioning is Carl Poe's bookConditioning for Skating : Off-Ice Techniques for On-Ice Performance (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/157028220X/qid=1141669296/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-1434674-1249764?s=books&v=glance&n=283155)

My off-ice trainers have me do each of my stretches for 30 seconds per stretch, minimum 2 reps.

NEVER stretch to the point of pain. If you attempt a stretch that becomes painful, at a minimum reduce the stretch so it isn't painful. If that's not possible, then don't do that stretch at all.

Remember, improving flexibility takes time and not everyone can attain the flexibility of someone like Sasha Cohen.

Hope this helps...

[Joan]

These are good for a brief regimen just before you get on the ice (after you warm up with a bit of jump rope time, or in some other way). You can print it out and bring the pages with you to the rink.

http://www.skating-wos.on.ca/sportsci/stretchpf.htm

[Rusty Blades]

I'll second Carl Poe's book "Conditioning for Skating : Off-Ice Techniques for On-Ice Performance"

I skate twice a week, only 1 day a week with a coach so I copied the appropriate exercises from Poe's book and have the pages in a 3 ring binder in my exercise area. I try to got through a whole seriese of exercises each non-skating day. ("Try"? Such a nice little word . . . :roll: )

[kayskate]

Get the Magic of Style vid 2. It includes a great stretch routine. I do the exercises and my splits are back. Do some exercise first to warm your muscles before stretching. A walk or jog is good. so is aerobics.

I have pics of my stretches on my web site in the photo gallery. I have to add some new ones. I have become more limber since my "stretch at sea".

Kay

[Mrs Redboots]

Get the Magic of Style vid 2. It includes a great stretch routine. I do the exercises and my splits are back. I wish you hadn't said that - I was thinking this morning that now we are getting back into on-season training, I shall have to start doing that routine again, and I do so hate it! Ah well....

[samba]

Get the Magic of Style vid 2. It includes a great stretch routine. I do the exercises and my splits are back.

Ha! the last time I did that I was 12 years old, not much hope for me now.

[JessicaLynn]

Thanks everyone! Does anyone have a link to the "Magic of Style 2 Video?

[kayskate]

I think you can get Magic of Style though Rainbo Sports. They have a web site.

Kay

[WhisperSung]

Remember, too, not to just go all-out into stretches. . .warm up your body first. I do a lot of joint circles (fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, waist, hips ankles), just slowly circling to wake up my muscles, and then I run in place or jump rope until my body temperature's up a bit (maybe for about 5 minutes). Then I start static stretching (holding positions for 30-60 seconds) and then dynamic stretching (like leg kicks into spiral position, etc).

It takes about 15 minutes to do that, but then I feel ready to go :)

[Joan]

I wish you hadn't said that - I was thinking this morning that now we are getting back into on-season training, I shall have to start doing that routine again, and I do so hate it! Ah well....

Frei has a sense of humor and gives good names to the exercises, like the "Tarantula" because it is "gruesome"

This tarantula exercise is definitely the one that I dread, but it has really built up my gluts, I must say...For any of you with a flat butt and wanting more definition, this is the exercise for you!

[Mrs Redboots]

Frei has a sense of humor and gives good names to the exercises, like the "Tarantula" because it is "gruesome"

This tarantula exercise is definitely the one that I dread, but it has really built up my gluts, I must say...For any of you with a flat butt and wanting more definition, this is the exercise for you!I don't have a flat one, never have had.... and I funked that exercise this morning, simply couldn't face it! I did a couple of hers, and a couple of other exercises, but absolutely couldn't face that one, nor yet the mermaid.

But it is interesting - I first did the exercises again last Wednesday, and was absolutely exhausted afterwards, nearly as bad as I was the first time I did them. And I was stiff and sore for the rest of the day, and still tired on Thursday. But on Friday when I did them again, it felt like nothing special had happened! Shows how quickly you can lose, and regain fitness again.