Hello everyone!
Today at the rink, my primary coach told me that she and my seconday coach will be working on a training schedule for ALL of their students while on route to Regionals tommorow.
While I already participate in a off ice plyometrics class once a week, what else could I be doing? I already skate 1 1/2 to 2 hours of practice 3-4 days per week? Ideas, feedback anyone?

I lift weights 2-3 times a week. Some days I work on strength (i.e, more weight, fewer reps) and some days endurance (lower weight, more reps, less rest between sets). In addition I take a yoga class once a week at the gym. I don't do any formal cardio work; I get that skating and when I ride my bike for fun.

Marna

I'm older and not skating like you are but I:

* go to gym twice a week for an hour : treadmill, weights, abs.
* walk wherever I can - don't take car :roll
* run up and down the stairs (13) about 100 times a day.
* skate the other 3 mornings
* work a nightshift once a week and break sweat every time!

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MEL
Absolute Skating

I skate 4 days, lift weights 1 day, high-speed walk 1 day.

Rest on the 7th day!

Just started working with a personal trainer. I skate 4 times a week, try and power walk or atleast brisk walk for 30 minutes twice a week. I lift weights 3 times a week and I rest once. I try and stretch every day for 15 minutes and more so on days I skate. Also whenever I use my boyfriends gym I go into their aerobics room and practice jumps off the ice.

I have a fitness class with the other people that I skate with twice a week where we jog/run and do weights and core exercises usually, and I also have an exercise bike at home which I usually use twice a week and do weights and core by myself. I also have 3 dance classes a week which is partly to help my skating and partly because I just like it. I usually skate 5 days a week.

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"Keep a positive attitude!" ~ Marie-France

Strength exercises every night.

Before I skate-flexibility moves and off ice jumping.

Chico

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"I truly believe, when God created skating, he patted himself on the back."

Aerobics, walking, stretching.
In spring and summer, I also picframe roller skate and distance quad skate outdoors.

Kay

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http://www.skatejournal.com/

A question to those of you who weight train:

Is it better for figure skaters to use more weight and less reps or less weight and more reps? Also, what is the difference between the two?

Thanks to anyone who can answer!

Canadian Skater- Less weight, more reps because it builds stamina and strength in the muscles with out bulk. If you use heavier weights, you'll bulk them up which is the absolute LAST think any skater needs.

My off ice routine is as follows...whew.

- 5 days a week, weight training (I take it at school and lasts 2 hours)
- 5 days a week, plyometrics and work with the Airflex mat
- 3 days a week, run on treadmill
- 4 days a week, swim laps


umm...yes, I am crazy, but it's managed to keep my injuries and tendonitis at bay and over all I feel alot better. My skating has improved tons... and after being in a stalemate for 2-3 years, this is a much needed relief. I also take Ballroom dancing lessons twice a week just for fun...the rest of my time is spent at the rink practicing, doing homework or working. Sigh. Time for beddie byes. BTW, this is my training schedule...I'm trying to whip my geriatic butt into shape. 18 is old for a Novice lady... yup... getting there.
Peices everyone!

*patt99*

It depends. For women, it's REALLY unlikely that your muscles will bulk up with any normal amount of lifting...the trainer who set up my weight program told me that in general women would need to lift at least 2 hours/day every day to develop any bulkiness.

How much weight and how many reps really depends greatly on 1) how naturally muscular you are 2)what your goal is 3)and which muscle group you are using. My advice to any "novice" weight lifter is to find a good reputabale personal trainer and work with them for about a month.

I am currently working with a personal trainer, and years ago worked out with a good friend who was a personal trainer, and I have never been told that there's only one way to lift weights.

If you are naturally muscular it's possible for you to bulk up some but it won't be accidental, you'd have to WANT to bulk up. If your goal is just to tone and make your body look more fit then low weights and high reps is fine. But if you want to build muscle you are going to have to raise the amount of weight, the only way to build muscle is to first break it down or lift past the point where the muscle burns. Just had a grueling shoulder and legs work out last night!!

I use 10 & 15 pound weights for most of my upper body workout and I am not at all bulky. I want my upper body to be stronger for my posture and for spinning and snapping into jumps. Be careful lifting without some guidance, the wrong posture and the wrong form can actually cause damage to your joints and to your back.

Daily 3 times--stretch calves b/c they get awfully tight from high heels and/or when I don't wear my orthotics. (Since I've started skating, I've had no troubles with Achilles tendonitis any more! :O)

Once a week, private Pilates apparatus lesson or solo apparatus workout. About 2 times per week, I do Pilates mat workout.

I've been slacking off about this, but usually try to use free weights for arms (10 lbs., 3 sets of 10 for each arm for each exercise) 1-2 times per week. Sometimes I'll also do prone flyes (2 lbs, 2 sets of 15 for each side for each exercise) to work on my lower and mid traps (to keep my shoulders from cramping up). I also do flagman presses (lie on back with arms wide to side, then bend at elbows and rotate arms so that back of hands are near ears. Then press for 5 seconds on backs of hands, then 5 seconds on elbows--this is to help me b/c my head is a bit forward and strains my neck muscles. I do some special exercises with ankle weights to strengthen my hamstrings.

In the summer, when skating lessons are on Wednesday nights, I take ballet early on Saturday mornings.

I try to go running 1 to 1 1/2 miles 2 times per week but haven't been lately because I've been skating much more and for a while my knee was bothering me. Brisk walks in the morning and afternoon to take the pooch for walkies. Still, my cardio and stamina are my weak areas. I tend to not vary my pace or my routine--get a bit lazy in this dept.

There's a bunch of girls at my work who walk stairs during lunch--down from our floor then all the way to the top (10 stories) and back to our floor again. I'm never as motivated as them!