What do you do for a warm-up in skating?

[FSWer]

Say,I was just interested in what everyone's normal warm-up ruteen is,in the Disciplines that they all do. So what Discipline do you do,and what do you do for a warm-up? In you do more then one Discipline,please give warm-up ruteen for all. Synchro. included.

[jazzpants]

My warm up: Adult Bronze Moves :lol: and parts of the Silver moves. (I do forward cross strokes and wimpy forward power pulls.) Somewhere within 5 to 10 minutes I do stretch my legs on the hockey box a bit.

[dippytrout27]

I go to Ice Fitness classes and the warm up routine for that is walking forwards and backwards, on tip toes then the heel, jumping up and down and at 360 deg turns and a bit of stretching.

All this is done off ice but with skates on. I am not convinced walking backwards on the heel of your skates is a really good idea. In fact I think this is what caused my achilles tendonitis. Does anyone else do similar excercises and what are your experiences?

[Sessy]

Run to catch the bus, run from the bus to the rink to be on time, skate a few rounds around the rink, LOL. I'm usually practicing the moves for my next test as a warmup, I find it sticks in the memory best when the muscles are cold. In class we do the moves for the test after that one as a warmup, after we've done some stroking and crossovering around (which I do too at first). Also I jump a bit up and down with my skates on before class.

[SkatingOnClouds]

Stroking both directions, backwards both directions. Some edges in circle patterns, usually only forward outside, just to get the feel of being on one foot, then I do some 3 turns then double 3's then a two foot spin. All this gets me over my blade, and gets my weird vestibular system centred and ready to work.

Then a few stretches at the barrier, and squats to wake up my poor old knees. Then I'm ready - sort of.

It is really about 1/2 hour before I am really ready though.

[rlichtefeld]

I always plan on at least 20 minutes of off-ice warmup before I put on my skates. Sometimes this means I get on the ice a little late, but people always comment on my flexibility. Also, I've never had a "pulled" muscle, etc. during my skating. I am having knee problems, and I have to do specific stretches for the ITB (ilio-tibial band).

First, in a standing position, put by feet as far apart as possible, and then bend at the waist, and touch the floor. Slowly work my way closer to the floor moving my hips backwards. After a few breaths in that position, I move my feet together a little more. A few more breaths, and then move them together. Continue until the feet are touching. Each position stretches a slightly different portion of the leg muscles.

Then, I move to a wall or counter. I place the ball of one foot on the base of the wall, with as much flex as I can. Then, I roll up on the ball of the other foot, which flexes the foot on the wall. I wait a few breaths, and switch feet. I repeat a couple of times.

At the wall or counter, I then face away from the wall, with my feet shoulder width apart and about 2 feet from the wall. Then, I twist at the waist to try and face the wall. I use my arms to hold me in place. This also stretches my arms a little. After a few breaths, twist the other way, and hold for a few breaths.

If at a counter or a ballet bar, or anything that is hip height. Stand with the counter to one side. Place one leg on the counter behind you. Then, let you leg slowly slide away from you. You should be in a spiral position, with your "skating" leg off vertical. Then, move the free leg to the front, and stretch towards your front, trying to touch your knee with your chin. Then, turn around and repeat with the other leg.

Move back to a bench and then putting your back on the edge of the bench, move down into a sit spin position, and hold for a few breaths. You can "come up" with your palms on the bench behind you. I repeat with both legs. Then, I go down with both legs under me and hold. Just so everything stretches and releases.

I then sit on the bench and twist to either side and hold.

At this point, I kind of take inventory, shake things a bit, and see if I need to pay attention to any particular area.

Then, I get out my boots and lace up. After, my boots are on, I go over to a wall or counter, and stand next to it with the arm closest holding on. I think swing the leg closest to the wall, in an arc like you would in a waltz, trying to get my foot above my head. At the same time rocking up on to the toe pick of the foot on the ground. Even though I only jump one direction, I turn around and repeat with the other leg. I do this at least 5 times per leg.

Once I get on the ice, I usually do at least 2 laps of just stroking. Then, maybe a lap of power pulls. And, then straight into a fwd sit spin and a back sit spin. Then, a scratch spin and a back scratch. I find that spins warm you up faster than jumps. I think it's the isometrics.

After that, I'm ready for a series of waltz jumps, maybe three in a row, to make sure I feel my feet under me and the rolling up to the pick.

Then, I'm ready to start a lesson or a practice session.

I have non idea if this is an ideal warm up, but it works for me.

Rob

[jskater49]

Stroke a few laps, then forward russian stroking. Then I run through my Bronze moves and depending on time, I'll do forward and backward swing rolls and now I've added back chasses to that since I'm working the the Swing.

Earlier this summer I was doing forward crossovers on the circle in both directions because my coach worked a little on that with me, but since they are not fun, I've kind of let that go but I really do need to get back to that. Although that's more in the category of actual practice than warm up.

j

[Clarice]

It changes, depending on what I'm working on. At the moment, I do a couple laps of plain stroking plus a couple of a slow bend-rise-bend stroking exercise my ice dance coach gave me, followed by power pulls, a full length on each leg. Then 3 different pattern exercises from my Russian presentation coach, followed by her 3-turn exercise. Then some swing rolls and/or what my dance coach calls "wicked edges". Since I'm focusing on edges right now to improve my Moves, I usually go into that next, and it feels like an extension of my warmup - forward and back edges, and three turns. Then I move on to freestyle stuff. I usually go back to dance patterns at the end of my session.

[flo]

It can depend on which rink I'm skating at - some have better set-ups for stretching. At one rink, I usually get their early and stretch with my leg up on the lobby windowsill and so forth. There are also stair rails to do press and platter lift balances. At the other rink I do basic stretching and warm up on the ice. On ice I do lots of edges and slalom swooshes (like skiing) for my knees.

[Mrs Redboots]

It depends on whether this is a competition/test or an ordinary practice. My warm-up does vary, even then - today, for instance, I finished lacing my boots and ran on to the ice and did a Golden Skaters' waltz with no warm-up at all, as the music was playing!

Off ice, I do try to shake everything out. If I'm competing, I do a full off-ice warm-up, such as you can get off any fitness video - running on the spot, checking that all joints and muscles are warm and loose, stretching, etc. If I'm not, I may or may not warm up off-ice depending on how stiff I am.

Husband likes to warm up very thoroughly on-ice, doing laps of all sorts of edges and things - I like to do at least one fast lap, and then do those knee-bendy things. And I like to do a figure-8 of crossovers if there's time. But I like the feeling of being able to skate, if I have to, after just a 2.5-minute warm-up, so don't take my time unless I must.

Together, we invariably skate round in Open Kilian hold, one side aiming for speed, and the second side for 4 pushes. I think we're supposed to run round the circle in both directions, too, but in a 2.5-minute warm-up there isn't time to do that! In an ordinary practice, it depends how much time we have, and how soon we have a competition, as to what we do next - often chassés and/or swing rolls in a variety of holds, or we might go straight into a dance.

[herniated]

I'm at the silver level, freestyle. I usually start with some dynamic streching of legs and upper body. Then do jumping (no skates),with out rotation first and then with. Hmmm... what's next.. oh yeah then I do streches. Hamstrings, quads, calves, groin, upper back and shoulder, then lower back. I only hold them for about 10-20 secs. Then... if I have time usually I do this along with the dynamic stretches slow jogging around the rink (inside), and/or side steps, walking on heels (no skates)( this works the anterior tibealis sp?) . All, this is takes about 20 min.

On the ice I first skate around slowly (mostly to look for bumps:lol: ) then forward stroking moving on to foward and back crossovers. Then spins and then jumps. Then I'm ready to do my program!!

After skating (I know this wasn't asked) I do the whole stretching routine but hold the stretches for longer. About 20-30 sec. Works for me!!

[icetrix]

Stroke a few laps, then forward russian stroking.

What's forward russian stroking?

[herniated]

I go to Ice Fitness classes and the warm up routine for that is walking forwards and backwards, on tip toes then the heel, jumping up and down and at 360 deg turns and a bit of stretching.

All this is done off ice but with skates on. I am not convinced walking backwards on the heel of your skates is a really good idea. In fact I think this is what caused my achilles tendonitis. Does anyone else do similar excercises and what are your experiences?

Don't think I've ever seen this stuff done with the skates on. I think it may be dangerous? Just my humble opinion. I do some of these exercises ( see previous post) but with out skates. I feel it is important to work the feet and that's impossible within the boot.

In your ice fitness classes are the instructors certified trainers? Also, It seems possible that your achilles issues could be caused by doing this. To me ,doing that action with my skates on would overstretch that tendon! What does your doctor say?

[jskater49]

What's forward russian stroking?

Cross over to an inside edge, cross over the other direction, inside edge...like the perimeter crossovers in bronze moves but you don't hold the edge quite as long. You can really get some speed going with those.

j

[Emberchyld]

If I'm skating a public session with lots of ice time:
In order:
2 laps of swizzles
2 laps of deep slaloms (both as a throwback to those days when I was too scared to let either foot leave the ice-- it still helps me acclimate to the ice and I think they get me warmer than just plain stroking)
1 lap backward swizzles with deep crossovers at the rink corners, 1 lap backward stroking with more crossovers
And then I feel secure enough for forward stroking.

If I'm skating a freestyle, with less ice time:

1-2 laps of deep slaloms to warm up my injury-prone hips
2 laps stroking
Back and forward crossovers in the hockey circles.

And If I have practically no ice time, backward crossovers always get my blood pumping

[Mrs Redboots]

Cross over to an inside edge, cross over the other direction, inside edge...like the perimeter crossovers in bronze moves but you don't hold the edge quite as long. You can really get some speed going with those.

j
You can also introduce variations on a theme - our present Level 3 Bronze Skating Moves require you to do two laps of these, the catch being you may only do two inside edges per side, with one crossover or progressive run at the centre line. The focus, unsurprisingly, is on power and edge quality.

You can also do 3 or 4 inside edges per side, in which case you must make sure you stay right down in the knee on the runs and rise up for the inside edge.

You can also do an inside 3-turn at the top of the lobe. Or even a double 3-turn (how come I can do both of these, albeit slowly, on my left foot, but neither on my right?).

[jskater49]

If I'm skating a public session with lots of ice time:
In order:
2 laps of swizzles
2 laps of deep slaloms (both as a throwback to those days when I was too scared to let either foot leave the ice-- it still helps me acclimate to the ice and I think they get me warmer than just plain stroking)


My coach is a big fan of slaloms for competition warm up --especially for jumps because it gets you down in your knees.

j

[Sessy]

Cross over to an inside edge, cross over the other direction, inside edge...like the perimeter crossovers in bronze moves but you don't hold the edge quite as long. You can really get some speed going with those.

j

I don't get it?

[jskater49]

I don't get it?

Um. I'm really bad at understanding and writing about skating so someone else will have to help you out here. sorry:giveup:

j

[SynchroSk8r114]

Freestyle (Intermediate level): Usually I just take a lap or two around the rink stroking in a loose fashion, stretch at the boards for about two minutes, and then warm-up all my singles. I then do a couple backspins to get ready for axels and doubles. After backspins, I'll do some waltz jumps where I click my feet together in the air (feeling of getting my feet crossed) and then do an axel. I'll then go on to whatever other double I'm going to work on - double salchow, for instance, by doing a single salchow where I click my feet together in the jump. Then I'll go on to double salchows, and so on with other jumps.

When it comes to spinning, I usually just go for them, typically in this order:
- Backspins
- Scratch spins
- Sit (sit-change-sits)
- Camel-sit-change-sits
- Flying camels
- Laybacks (or whatever else I feel like doing)

Dance (Pre-Gold level): Usually a lap or two around the rink suffices. I sometimes do forward and backward cross strokes just to get my feet under me, my edges crisp, and my knees soft. I then like to do the Paso and then the Starlight, which are the dances I'm working on now.

Synchro (Collegiate): We usually begin by taking five minutes to do perimeter stroking with long, extended crossovers around the end of the rink. We put on music and must keep time (such as push, cross, hold for two counts, repeat). We do that in both directions. We'll also warm-up forward and backward lunges on both feet, forward and backward spirals on both feet, and do some stretches. Afterwards, we split up into a few lines and do Russian circles over and over, then choctaws in a line diagonally, walk through footwork from our program, or work on pieces of our program.

[techskater]

I don't get it?

http://www.usfigureskating.org/Programs.asp?id=316
Look at Bronze move #1

[Sessy]

Ohhh that. Is that Russian? I thought everybody did it.

[dippytrout27]

Don't think I've ever seen this stuff done with the skates on. I think it may be dangerous? Just my humble opinion. I do some of these exercises ( see previous post) but with out skates. I feel it is important to work the feet and that's impossible within the boot.

In your ice fitness classes are the instructors certified trainers? Also, It seems possible that your achilles issues could be caused by doing this. To me ,doing that action with my skates on would overstretch that tendon! What does your doctor say?


I'm not sure about being certified trainers, I'll ask next time I'm there. As for my doctor, he's referred me to physio and advised me to keep off the ice for a while, although I did go today for an hour (first time in 3 weeks). I'm convinced these exercises with boots on caused my ankle problems and refuse to do them now. I don't really do much of a warm up but think I will take the advice of everyone here and devise my own warm up routine off ice WITHOUT skates on. Hopefully this will give my achilles a chance to heal. :roll:

[Mrs Redboots]

Ohhh that. Is that Russian? I thought everybody did it.
It's called by all sorts of different names, including "snakies" - "Russian stroking" seems to be the US term for it.

[liz_on_ice]

I don't exactly do it as a warmup, but days when I run in the morning, I skate so much better. Even if the skating is many hours later it helps. I try to jog from the train station to the rink instead of taking the bus to my lessons.

Unfortunately, there is no way to fit it in before the dawn sessions practice sessions at the rink I drive to, and I usually step on the ice cold, stiff, and only half concious.

[techskater]

It's called by all sorts of different names, including "snakies" - "Russian stroking" seems to be the US term for it.

Named as such here because Russian born coaches introduced it.

[chowskates]

Named as such here because Russian born coaches introduced it.

And for the longest time I had wondered about this mysterious "Russian stroking"! Of course my coach then is Russian and he would always say "stroking". Nothing special about that... :roll:

[jskater49]

http://www.usfigureskating.org/Programs.asp?id=316
Look at Bronze move #1

Except I don't think what I'd call russian stroking would pass the bronze test because you don't hold the edge as long.

j

[techskater]

Granted, it's supposed to be quicker, J, but sessy was trying to visualize and it was the only thing quickly available!

I laugh at the names of things from one of the Russian coaches at our rink:

Jacksons (rocker-Choctaws from Novice moves, but quicker and flatter)
Hamiltons (quick Mohawks)
Rodninas (like the power threes on Prelim MIF but with Mohawks instead of 3 turns)

[Mrs Redboots]

Unfortunately, there is no way to fit it in before the dawn sessions practice sessions at the rink I drive to, and I usually step on the ice cold, stiff, and only half concious.Many of the skaters here, including my husband, warm up by running round the outside of the rink - indoors, I mean, but round the outside of the barriers. I remember the day I saw Dame Kelly Holmes, when she was in Dancing on Ice doing that - she ran round the outside faster than most people skate round the inside!

Except I don't think what I'd call russian stroking would pass the bronze test because you don't hold the edge as long. You can do it in all sorts of ways - in our current Level 3 Moves you hold the edge for half the length of the rink (and it has to be an edge, not a flat, so there's a definite curve), but you can also hold the edge for much shorter times, which is hard in a different way!

[RinkRat321]

off ice - i jog in place for a bit, then i jump up and land in my landing position a couple of times. then i stretch.

on ice - i usully take like 2 laps around and then i warm up with the MITF for whatever im getting ready to test.

[herniated]

I'm not sure about being certified trainers, I'll ask next time I'm there. As for my doctor, he's referred me to physio and advised me to keep off the ice for a while, although I did go today for an hour (first time in 3 weeks). I'm convinced these exercises with boots on caused my ankle problems and refuse to do them now. I don't really do much of a warm up but think I will take the advice of everyone here and devise my own warm up routine off ice WITHOUT skates on. Hopefully this will give my achilles a chance to heal. :roll:

I agree with the warmup without skates. See what your physio therapist says. Hope that achilles feels better soon!! :)

[mikawendy]

I usually try to have 15-25 min for off-ice warmup and putting on skates. I do light light jogging in place to get my feet and ankle muscles warmed up, then jog around the rink or do gentle leg swings while holding onto a banister to get my heart rate up. Then I stretch my achilles tendons one by one on a stair step (holding for about 20-30 seconds), then lightly stretch quads. I stretch my piriformis by holding onto a banister and standing on one foot, with the ankle of the other foot resting on the thigh of my standing foot (think pancake spin). I try to warm up my shoulders and arms by doing shoulder rolls and arm swings. I don't do any deep groin stretches or hamstring stretches until after I skate--if I'm not warmed up for them, I feel like I'm pulling things I shouldn't be.

Lately, I've also started doing balance exercises. Jordan Miller came to a skating club meeting recently to discuss mental and physical off- and on-ice preparation, and one of the things he said worked well for him was to do balance exercises before even stepping on the ice. I stand on one foot with my eyes closed and with the free leg similar to backspin position (letter h), trying to hold my balance as long as possible. Then I do the other leg. Then I do the same with the leg in landing position.

Another thing I try to do throughout the day, to keep my piriformis and lower back happy is to do the child's pose from yoga. The rink floor is usually too gross to do that, though, but I do the pose when I wake up, at work, when I get home, and when I go to bed.

On ice, I usually do slaloms, then some forward stroking, then like Jazzpants:
My warm up: Adult Bronze Moves :lol: and parts of the Silver moves.

Then I work on some other of the Silver moves, sometimes also work on crossover technique forwards and backwards, then spins and jumps.