Power Stroking or Pilates- what to choose?

[Terri C]

I had planned to start taking a Pilates class on Friday nights at my neighborhood rec center and attended last night.
Now my rink is offering a Power Stroking class on Friday evenings too and it looks good, if I can cough up the $90 something bucks to go that is better.
What class would you choose?

[Isk8NYC]

If you're lacking in the skating-power department, take the power class.

If you think core strength is a bigger need, go for the Pilates.

One consideration: who would you be in class with each week? I've taken classes that I didn't really 'need' just to hang with some friends.

[coskater64]

Well pilates is key to core strength that helps everything, maybe you could alternate for one session of several weeks take pilates, for the second session of several weeks take power skating. Is the pilates mat or reformer. If it is mat once you learn how to do it correctly you can get a mat and the items that go with it and do mat pilates at home or along with a video once you are familiar with the exercises.:halo: :halo:

[Terri C]

My thing with the Pilates is to not only strengthen my core, but to get better flexibility as well.
But.... after looking at my last competition video, I need to work on power too. The instructor for the stroking class is emphasizing that everyone is to work at their own pace. With that said, I have had the experience with power class in the past that I either get too overwhelmed or am concerned about running one of the smaller kids over, KWIM.
My secondary coach is after all of her skaters, including me to take it!

[Isk8NYC]

I understand. That's why I mentioned the other students in these classes. Some people love to be in a mixed-age group class setting, others feel uncomfortable.

I'm sure you'll enjoy and benefit from whatever you decide.

[jazzpants]

Well, FWIW... my coaches think my speed has improved since I've taken my Bronze moves test and I have only taken power classes a few times a LOOOONG time ago. Somehow my coach managed to make me do a LOT of stroking and speed drills. I also had my stroking technique fixed quite a bit. I did them on my own on a MUCH emptier session and that made a difference in my speed.But, if I were to choose between pilates and power, definitely power. Pilates did NADA for me in flexibility. I had to go the personal trainer who has skater client experience or someone with ballet training to try to get it.

I also did some of my own stretching exercises on the bar, as well as a LOT of spiral exercises and that did seemed to help my flexibility over time. (At least that's what primary coach tells me...) However, you need to stretch A LOT (like everyday, according to one very flexible skater/coach) and over a LOOOONG period of time (at least a year, though given this skater/coach's age, I think more like 10 for me! :roll: :twisted: LOL!!!) But I think secondary coach is still not happy with it and is thinking "reconstructive surgery" to fix those "closed hips" for me!!! :twisted: :P :lol:

[jskater49]

I've never taken Pilates so I cant' speak to those, but I have taken power since this summer, mostly with novice level teenagers that terrify me and people have commented that my speed and power has much improved.

[kander]

I don't know about pilates, but I would recommend combining regular training sessions at the gym along with skating. You can push yourself a lot further at the gym. When you get tired on the ice you can't skate anymore. When you get tired at the gym you can keep going.

Kevin

[jskater49]

I don't know about pilates, but I would recommend combining regular training sessions at the gym along with skating. You can push yourself a lot further at the gym. When you get tired on the ice you can't skate anymore. When you get tired at the gym you can keep going.

Kevin

Yea, but a skating power class is not just about building endurance and strength, it's about generating power by skating. So it's not just skating as fast as you can until you want to puke (though that may be part of it...) - it's about generating power from all kinds of skating so they do edge work and moves and skating as fast as you can and then jumping....you can't do any of that at the gym.

j

[doubletoe]

I'd go for the power stroking class. If you want to do Pilates, too, I'm sure it will be much easier to find a class somewhere on a different day than to find another power stroking class.

[jazzpants]

I don't know about pilates, but I would recommend combining regular training sessions at the gym along with skating. You can push yourself a lot further at the gym. When you get tired on the ice you can't skate anymore. When you get tired at the gym you can keep going.
Ummmm... that last sentence is also not true! If you are too tired to work out and you still push yourself, the first thing that goes is your form when you work out. When that goes, at the very least, you're not working on your intended muscle and at worst, you are putting yourself at risk for overuse injuries. Trust me on this one! :giveup:

Cheers,
jazzpants, who had a training session yesterday with Ballet Guy PT, who almost let me slack a little towards the end of the session b/c he figured I was tired. Unfortnately for that PT, I have good work ethics on my workout. I do it right or I do them again. (Which, of course, forces me to do them right all the time. I also figured if I cheat on my exercise, I'm cheating myself of nice slimmer abs, strong leg, etc.... you get the picture...)

[dooobedooo]

On the basis that a good power stroking class is a rarity, whereas pilates classes are quite easy to come by, in this case I would go for the power stroking class.

But I would try to pick up on the pilates in the near future because it really does help with core body strength and makes a lot of skating moves much easier.

[flikkitty11]

I'd go with pilates. I really love my pilates class and find it really interesting. Is great to do some off ice training like pilates which you can supplement at home. I find power stroking can get really boring when i could do speed/power drills by myself or with my friends for free. thats just my two cents
-flik

[Sonic]

I'd be tempted to go with pilates, as power stroking is something that perhaps your skating coach could fit into a lesson, then you could practise by yourself, whereas pilates requires specific instruction - if that makes sense.

S xxx

[dooobedooo]

The great thing about a power stroking class is that the class DOES have the whole ice pad to itself. This means that individuals really can go fast without worrying about other skaters. You also generally get up to an hour of class time which is longer than most people's private lessons. The pace tends to be relentless, so it is a much better "skaters' workout" than a normal lesson. It also gives you the opportunity to "take instruction" legitimately from someone with a different viewpoint or presentation method from your own coach.

Plus it can be sociable, which of course is a side benefit.

And as a last resort, there are videos for Pilates, which you can operate at home. Not found a way to do this with power stroking, YET.

[Terri C]

After skating morning ice on my day off I had to decide whether to go to a 9:15 Pilates class at Center A or a Cross Training class at Center B (my home gym).
I chose the Cross Training and it had a good supply of everything, from plyometrics (for more height on jumps), high/low aerobics (for cardio) and pilates for core strength, as well as some hand weight work!
There were also some excercises that my coach had me doing on a off lesson one day last summer that were in the class too (walking lunges, anyone, esp with a ball!?).

Jazzpants, we did the plank excercise and I held it all 4 intervals!

So I will be going at least once a week, alternating Wednesdays/ Fridays (those are my days off)!