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View Full Version : Problem: Back strength, tension, or flexibility?


SkatEn
07-09-2010, 12:16 PM
I have an issue. While I can do splits in all directions, I cannot lift my leg up to a nice spiral - no straight extension, no square hips (are hips supposed to be parallel to the ice?). Off ice, when I try to lift it higher with hips parallel to the floor, my lower back aches/hurts. It's the side of the lower back, like where you would have your arms akimbo.

How will I know if the back muscles are just weak, too tense, or not flexible enough? I can get up from a bridge, if that helps. Sometimes, I do get some terrible back aches - posture, long day on my feet, or just weight bearing. On most days though, my back is just fine. I want to get my spiral higher.

There is another thread (http://skatingforums.com/showthread.php?t=30538&highlight=back+spiral+flexibility) that has advice on this, but I hope to get some help more specific.

AgnesNitt
07-09-2010, 02:58 PM
I'm going to defer to the coaches on the board about the skating part, but backache I know about. i know from sad experience that backaches are often caused by poor abdominal and core muscle support. The reason a back muscle will often ache is because the back muscles are working overtime to support what the stomach muscles aren't supporting. Building core and ab muscles (pilates, yoga, what have you) often relieves back pain.

icestalker
07-09-2010, 03:14 PM
Flexibility, sadly, has nearly nothing to do with spirals. It's mostly quadricep and lower back strength to lift that leg.

Since you are experiencing pain, though, it's most likely because you don't have core and back strength, like AgnesNitt said.

Or if you spend all day in a chair or on your feet, that would cause back pain. I recently came back from a 14 hour trip in the car, so I had been sitting in the back seat for 14 hours, unable to lean back or lie down. I couldn't do a spiral the next day when skating because of lower back pain.

Your free hip is supposed to be open, not squared.

doubletoe
07-09-2010, 03:17 PM
Unfortunately, I have the exact same problem. And unfortunately, I think what Agnes just said is true (I hate sit-ups and crunches!). BTW, can you do an over-split? I think the skaters who have really split spirals are so flexible that they can do considerable over-splits. I can only over-split by about 3"-5", which probably isn't enough to make a difference. . .:roll: Also, there is a lot of use of upper glute and lower back muscles because you need to lift that heavy skate that's all the way at the end of your leg. I remember when I took a few years off from skating and came back, I really felt it it my upper butt muscles when I tried to do spirals!

Skate@Delaware
07-09-2010, 03:37 PM
I'm going to echo what AgnesNitt & Doubletoe say: lack of core/ab strength along with poor glute/hamstring strength. There are tons of great exercises to target these areas-the best ones don't require any weights, just your body. And start slow. Bridges, fire-hydrants/kick-backs, supermans and many others are great.

AgnesNitt
07-09-2010, 03:39 PM
Or if you spend all day in a chair or on your feet, that would cause back pain. I recently came back from a 14 hour trip in the car, so I had been sitting in the back seat for 14 hours, unable to lean back or lie down. I couldn't do a spiral the next day when skating because of lower back pain.


Sadly I had a friend who drove from MD to Kentucky the day after twisting his back in a loop jump and he hasn't skated since. He swears the damage was not due to the jump, but the drive. He doesn't even have feeling in some of his toes. Those long drives are murder.

Skate@Delaware
07-09-2010, 05:43 PM
Sadly I had a friend who drove from MD to Kentucky the day after twisting his back in a loop jump and he hasn't skated since. He swears the damage was not due to the jump, but the drive. He doesn't even have feeling in some of his toes. Those long drives are murder.
It was probably a combination of both. My back injury was "cumulative trauma" from years of not being so nice to my body. I can't go anywhere beyond a 1.5 hr drive without getting out and stretching. And once I get there, it takes a long time for me to get all the kinks out (not that I'm getting older, I just stiffen up for longer periods;))

rsk8d
07-09-2010, 07:39 PM
It is highly likely that your hip muscles, specifically the gluts, are not strong enough to lift the leg above waist level. Your back may be aching because it is trying to compensate for the lack of glut strength, and the muscles become over-worked. Therefore, you would likely need to strengthen the gluts and the lower back muscles. If you can do the splits in all ldirections, it is unlikely a flexibility issue.

As for the back aches with long days on your feet, it is common in people who have weak abdominals and lower back muscles. Your core musculature gets fatigued from supporting your frame.

SkatEn
07-10-2010, 09:51 PM
I'm going to echo what AgnesNitt & Doubletoe say: lack of core/ab strength along with poor glute/hamstring strength. There are tons of great exercises to target these areas-the best ones don't require any weights, just your body. And start slow. Bridges, fire-hydrants/kick-backs, supermans and many others are great.

Thanks all for the replies!!!

What's a fire-hydrant/kickback? Is it whereby you're on your arms and knees and kick one leg high up?

What's the difference between core and abs?

Any exercises to recommend for gluts and back muscles, without equipment? I can do superman fine, so something more challenging?

Skate@Delaware
07-11-2010, 12:28 PM
Thanks all for the replies!!!

What's a fire-hydrant/kickback? Is it whereby you're on your arms and knees and kick one leg high up?

What's the difference between core and abs?

Any exercises to recommend for gluts and back muscles, without equipment? I can do superman fine, so something more challenging?
Abs are just your stomach muscles; core muscles are the muscles from your ribs down to your hips-think of them as your "girdle"

fire hydrants-get on your hands & knees, tighten your abs/stomach muscles, lift your leg out to the side and hold for a second or two, bring it back down. do the other side.

kick backs-on your hands & knees again, tighten your abs/stomach muscles, lift your leg behind you without straightening it (basically, you are pushing your foot up in the air), hold, then bring it back down. do the other side.
http://www.shapefit.com/butt-exercises-glute-kickbacks.html
If it's too easy, add a band (be careful), more reps etc. You can also do them standing and add reps to the side and front.

If you can do supermans fine, try alternating supermans. Try to increase reps & height. Don't strain tho! Another great thing (got this from my P90X) is doing a superman, then rolling over into a v-sit (yoga) hold then rolling back into a superman. Try that and see how it goes. Really digs at your core! Be sure to roll each way.

Sessy
07-14-2010, 01:18 PM
Skate, another possibility to think about - do you practice spirals both ways? If you practice one much higher than the other you risk pinching something in your back and causing yourself weird pains. I had that with the biellman, when I just stretched in 1 direction.