exercise for older adult skater?

[skateflo]

I was wondering, as another thread talked about needing to lose our winter weight, what older adult skaters do to balance their skating and exercise (like over 45 yr. of age?)

All the exercise magazines (especially Shape, which I really enjoy) never seem to mention exercise programs #1 for older adults and #2 that are active in another sport, hold a full time job, etc. Nor does the USFSA/ISI seem to address this particular issue for those of us less than master level.

I know the younger skaters have the stamina and energy to skate alot and go the gym - I do not and I can't be the only one that is always trying to find a balance without getting into overuse strains and injuries.

I would appreciate hearing from other older adults. As for myself, I am 56, and now skate 3 days a week with a double session on my lesson day right after work (one to warm up my body and joints and the second one for my lesson - 50 minutes.) I am now doing some single jumps (half rotation types. I would like to get strong enough to begin to learn full rotation ones.

[dbny]

I'm the same age you are, and you are way ahead of me. I don't do any exercise besides skating except in the summer when I'm camping. Then I kayak, swim, hike, canoe (pick one) daily. I do not have the energy to do a double session, but I also have a long standing sleep problem that is just recently coming under control. I have found though, that the amout of warm-up I need depends a lot on the time of day. If I skate in the morning, I need at least half an hour before I stop feeling like Frankenstein. In the late afternoon or evening, though, I can get on the ice and feel pretty good right away, meaning I'm able to do crossovers at my full speed immediately. If I ever get to test, it will definitely be at an evening session.

[sk8er1964]

I don't know if this qualifies as exercise in the context of what you are talking about, but since my injury I have found it absolutely imperative to stretch. I do it 2 times a day, especially before and after skating. I warm up off ice, stretch, skate, cool down off ice and stretch again. I actually spend more time stretching each day than I do on the ice. Fortunately, it is an activity that can be done at home in front of the tv - just make sure that the muscles you are stretching are warmed up!

I'm hoping it will stop future injuries (as recommended by my physical therapist, by the way). I also find my flexibility is greatly improved. I feel stronger. I think stretching is one activity that is not at all age-hindered, either.

The only other sport I participate in is golf, but like dbny as soon as we go on vacation it's hiking up mountains, horseback rides, etc. I found hiking up mountains much easier this year (even with my injury) than last year, when I had only been back on the ice for a few months.

[Gaela]

skateflo, you sound like you're getting a fair bit of exercise just with skating!! Maybe try polettis, or hiking.

I work out and do cardio, and am going to start taking skating class. Hopefully I've worked up my stamina and endurance--I work out about six times a week an increase to eight or ten when I have time, an hour on the elliptical trainer sometimes, an hour weights.

One thing I do want to try is rollerblading, I've heard it uses the same muscles as skating. And I'm sure it's fun--but I'm scareed to just go out on my own.

[skateflo]

Hmmmm...am I being unrealistic? A couple of years ago I had an athletic trainer once a week and then I did my exercises on 2 other days, but I can't afford that now. Perhaps it is the long winter that has hindered my motivation to try and start again on my own...and my impatience to recapture that 'form.'

As I have aged, in spite of skating, I am finding my flexibility and strength an issue that effects my skating. Additionally I now have degenerative disc disease in my neck and lower back. This is even harder mentally as my skating skills have improved so much that I need the better physical condition to continue in a foward momentum.

Skating is much easier after a day at work versus in the morning (like on Saturdays - no matter how much 'exercise' I get in household chores.) I tried exercising in the morning before I leave for work but needing coffee just to get moving led to esophagitis so I stopped the am routine. Perhaps I need a kick in the buns to view an exercise routine on my off skating afternoons as if I was required to go to physical therapy....just that it is so lonely...and I seem to always find other things that need doing after work.

[kayskate]

I am 36, but I take an aerobics class that is popular with adults of all ages. Many of the women in the class are 45+. The exercise can be low impact or high, depending on how you do the movements. These classes are often available at night for working people. The class has helped me to lose weight. I tend to get a better night's sleep afterward too.

Kay

[jenlyon60]

I'm more alert to work out or skate in the afternoon, but I like the super early morning (6:30) freestyle session at the rink, because there's usually only me and an Adult Gold dance team on it...

Coach has noticed that when I can skate a dance or exercise well early in the morning when I'm barely coherent, that it's usually much better when I skate it in the afternoons. So he's taken to using the early morning performance as a "prepared for test" assessment.

It's so nice to skate on empty ice....

Work-out wise, I've been doing a fair amount of walking and the occasional exercise DVD. Plus when I walk my dog I do odd-ball exercises like working on extension (forwards and backwards) while she's otherwise occupied.

[Alexa]

I am a big user of exercise videos/dvd's. That has been my primary exercise for years. I usually do a cardio routine and then some form of light strength training or yoga. Everyone has different opinions about the instructors they like best, but for cardio and strength training, I still really like Gilad. For yoga I like Rodney Yee and Sara Ivanhoe.

I also sneak in walks occasionally but find that I get too bored with doing that as my primary exercise. I tried to take up running for a while, but I prefer low impact mixed with high impact, so running full time just isn't my thing.

[blue111moon]

Several of the adults I skate with have joined "Curves For Women" a fitness chain that offers a half-hour total-body workout. I found it helped my strength and joint flexibility a lot. Unfortunately with snow, travel and family problems, I haven't been able to go for much of the winter. I'm planning on starting back on Monday.

[Raine]

I'm 48 and last year took some Pilates classes. I noticed an improvement in my back flexibility straight away, and I'm normally pretty stiff. They were too expensive for me to continue, but I'm thinking of buying a Pilates kit w/video.

Other than skating, I work out at the gym. I use the cross-trainer machine--the motions involved are similar to cross-country skiing. I also use the stationary bike and weight machines. I always stretch and do ab crunches as a finale. Oh, and I jump around my apartment a lot. ;)

Cheers,
Raine

[climbsk8]

I highly recommend getting the New York City Ballet Workout DVD. It is wonderful and incorporates stretching, posture, position and extension.

As for cardio, I invested in a used nordic track ski machine ($200). I love it because it is so low impact...I can spend 45 minutes on it, but I can't run for 45 minutes. The sweat level is the same though....

[Mrs Redboots]

I'm afraid skating is enough for me! However, I do get a certain amount of exercise simply by virtue of the fact that I don't run a car, and can't always be bothered to wait for a bus, so do a fair amount of walking. I do own one of those abominable roller things (abdominal, I mean, of course!), but do I use it? You guess! Actually, I do sometimes, but not as often as I would like.

[quarkiki2]

Have you considered water aerobics? My 78-year-old grandma does them three times a week. They're very low impact and she says they're relaxing, too.

I got up this morning (due to a sick dog) and walked for about 45 minutes before breakfast. It was nice to wander around town so early -- it felt like I was the only one awake!

[backspin]

I would strongly, strongly recommend some form of yoga, preferably one of the more rigorous types, like Iyengar (which is more strenuous & focuses less on the meditative side). It will GREATLY increase your flexibility, strength and balance. It is something you can do your entire life, you can take classes or get some videos, you can do it at home in the space it takes for a beach towel-sized mat. it also has great mental benefits. You can do it in different forms in the morning to wake you up, or in the evening to settle you down. It's gggrrrrr-EAT!!! (tony the tiger moment there)

Pilates would also be a good idea, if you prefer that.

[sk8pics]

I just wanted to add a few things... I find that in a way, slow and steady is what works for me. I try not to overdo things, but I am very consistent in my exercise program. I skate usually 5 days a week but not 5 days in a row, and the other 2 days I usually go to a gym. I spend some time biking and some time weight training; the trainer at the rink took a look at the program my gym put together for me and gave me some additional advice. And my coach spends 20 or 30 minutes off ice with me each week working on stretching (and sometimes off-ice jumps). I stretch every single day myself, at least once.

I'm in better shape now than when I started all this about 4 years ago. I can lift more than twice the weight I could at the beginning, my blood pressure is lower, my resting pulse is only about 60. And I nearly have a full split on each leg, which I never had even as a kid; my coach and I have worked on that for about a year. My point is that, especially for older adults I think, consistency is important and just taking things a bit at a time. Pilates is also great and I have taken private Pilates lessons in the past, and I'm thinking of starting again, at least for the summer.

Pat

[kayskate]

A couple of years ago I tried an adult ballet class. Many dance studios offer these classes in the evening for adults. Mine was one night each week. I was looking for more of a cardio workout, so I only did it for a few months. However, the stretching is very good. You can also work on posture and grace. It was low impact.

Kay

[BittyBug]

I used to run and go to the gym, but now I'm a total slug and only skate. I occasionally do some light free weights for arms and / or situps, but I oddly find skating to be a pretty good all around workout.

Regarding stretching - I am naturally flexible, but I find it much more effective to stretch after I've warmed up, rather than before (when my muscles are cold).

If you're looking to increase your strength for jumps, I'd suggest you try studying moves in the field along with your free skating. You'll learn to better control your upper body (and build up strength) from moves, which will help you with your jumps.

[singerskates]

OK, part of my workout is at work where I walk and walk as I do my job. I also do my ab crunches in before I get up out of bed when I walk up. I'm stretching my calves where and when ever I can. I have to stretch them often now because my right calf is injured now. Over use injury. I was doing all the weights up until a week and a half ago at the gym along with cardio and pilates. But now, I've been just working on my arms and abs with the weights. No leg stuff for a while. Tomorrow I'm going to start back with swimming at the gym and see if it helps out my right leg. I generally head to the gym 3 times a week. AT present I'm skating 3 times a week. I try to skate and work out on different days but sometimes it can't be helped.

[melanieuk]

I'm probably not in the age group where you're seeking ideas, but I'd go along with yoga or pilates, via video, for those spare moments at home when you can't be bothered with traffic, the elements, the time factor and cost of going to gym, swimming etc.

But, I'd also try and swim once a week....make a special effort to go.
Put time aside.

Sometimes, often in fact, I can't be bothered with skating or going to the gym, but I usually make myself go to the gym and while I'm torturing myself on the treadmill (or sit ups or whatever it may be) I chant inwardly "Indian, wine, chocolate, pizza" over and over again, just to remind myself of the rewards! :roll:

[Figureskates]

I try to get out on my in line skates and do about 10 miles a day, 4 to 6 days a week.

Since I have crummy knees, it is better than jogging since the impact is a lot less. Also it gives me a chance to keep up the stroking skills during the summer when I do a lot less figure skating since the local rink closes in May.