Off-Beat Off-Ice Training?

It’s summer and our figure skaters have more time on their hands than during the school year. Sure, they have ice time, but is your figure skater doing anything interesting or unusual to supplement her ice time and keep her from spending endless hours on Facebook?

Reader pghicemom sent in this question over the U.S. Independence Day weekend holiday (Ice Mom = big blog slacker over the holiday weekend).

My skater is using the summer to do a lot of extra off ice training – gym and believe it or not our local short track speedskating program (on and off ice) – her coaches say it’s great for core and thigh strength for jump rotation and landing- just needs to be careful of the squat jumps and her knees….. Maybe you can ask for other cross training ideas; experiences, etc?

I think it’s pretty interesting that pghicemom’s skater is training with the speedskating program. Personally, that wouldn’t be my choice because I’d be worried that Ice Girl would want to be a speedskater. You think figure skating’s expensive? Try traveling out of state for nearly every competition. We’re staying away from speedskating!

Today on SynchroMom: How to deal with a poisonous synchronized skating parent

As for Ice Girl, she had nine years of gymnastics training before she found figure skating, but we’re not doing both. Last year, she participated in our village’s recreational program and practiced gymnastics for six weeks under the tutelage of the high school gymnastics team members. The price was right (just $50), but in addition to ice time, it was a lot to ask of her and Ice Girl decided she didn’t want to do it this year.

Service Dog uses the ATM for his wheelchair-bound owner

Instead, she’s on a regimen of ice time, ballet, an hour of off-ice with her trainer, and biking all over town with her friends. It’s not the most aggressive off-ice schedule, but she’s having fun, so I’m happy.

What about you? What is your figure skater doing for off-ice training this summer? Please share what you’re doing in the comments.

Thanks to everyone who sent in questions and comments over the long U.S. Independence Day holiday weekend.

I encourage those of you who have dilemmas to send them in to me to share with the Advisory Board for the Ask the Ice Moms feature. Do you have an idea for a post? Wonderful! Keep e-mailing them to me! I really love receiving your feedback and post ideas. E-mail: icemom.diane@gmail.com

Photo credits:
Ball Fight: CarbonNYC on Flickr.com Creative Commons
Wait for It…: trazomfreak on Flickr.com Creative Commons
Like a Shining Star: ♪_Lisa_♪ on Flickr.com Creative Commons

http://synchromom.net/2010/07/how-to-deal-with-a-poisonous-parent/ How to deal with a poisonous parent? | Synchro Mom

[...] Synchromom’s reply: I am not much help with this one as we have a similar issue with parents and coaches tip-toeing around a particular poisonous mom. I am guilty of this as well. Her daughter is not on my daughter’s team, which makes it easier for us, but it is not fair for the parents who do have to put up with this synchromom. Her negative attitude has now poisoned her own daughter. Neither this mom or her daughter are ever to blame for whatever has “melted their ice” for the day! With the costs of sync fees rising, travel expenses and parents having to work extra for their skaters to be on the ice, every bit of ice time is valuable. Today on Ice Mom: Off-Beat Off-Ice Training [...]
niuiceprincess

As a working adult, my training is pretty much the same throughout the year (wish I worked in a school and get summers off! ). For off ice I go to the gym 3x a week. The gym is at my work and is a pretty good facility so I go at lunchtime. Very convenient. The price is right too at $37 a month. During one of those times I do the “Spartacus workout” (you can google it). Basically it is a circuit training program using weights, squats, etc. I only do it with 6 lb weights and I'm already nicely sore afterwards. I also do ballet (hour and a half) once a week. Then my hourly lesson is on saturdays. I also still try to hit the ice one or two more times a week either on freestyle or public skate. What I work on during public skate depends on how crowded the ice is. Yesterday there were only 4 other people aside from me so I worked on both moves and freestyle.
Bea

I'm still at school and at lunchtime every other day or so I go to the school gym and go on the cross trainer for 15 minutes and then the treadmill for 15-20 minutes. And then during the summer, I'll just do that at the local gym along with swimming once or twice a week and then an hour private lesson a week and maybe one or two practice ice sessions and I might go to a couple of public sessions as well. I don't have off ice as here it only offered to top skaters :/ so I have to make up for it in other activities.
guest

Interesting that you should post about off-ice training, because I recently heard from a coach at our rink that a skater CANNOT swim then skate in the same day. I was skeptical of this, and pressed her, saying something like “Well, you mean it is not a good idea to go directly from the pool to the rink, right? Because of the change in temperature, going on ice with a wet head, etc.?” But no, that is not what she meant, and she insisted quite forcefully that it is physically impossible…if you swim the same day you are scheduled to skate, your jumps just won't work, etc.” And while I suppose this is possible, if you are talking about major, competitive swimming (to the level that your legs become noodles) followed by high level on ice work, I can't believe that paddling around in the pool for a while in the morning could possibly affect my skater's ability to skate her single jumps that afternoon/evening. But of course, my darling skater now believes this, and won't swim on skating days or skate if she's been swimming. AARGH.

Has anyone else heard this? It can't really be true, right?
Bea

I have also heard this but I still swim and skate of the same day and it usually works out fine for me. And I agree that if its endurance or competitive swimming and maybe double jumps or higher, one may affect the other but for me just swimming in the medium speed lane for an hour in the morning it has no impact on how I perform in my skating in the afternoon or visa versa
http://icemom.net Ice Mom

When I had Lauren Downes of Sk8Strong on Ask the Expert in May, I asked her that question. You can listen to the interview here: http://icemom.net/2010/05/ask-the-expert-physic...

She says:

don't swim right before skating because the warm water relaxes the muscles too much before skating. However, using swimming as a sport is O.K. It helps them work muscle groups other than those for skating.
Guest

Great post! I *REALLY* need an off-ice work out program for this summer. Something I could do in my own backyard for an hour or two daily. I need to get in shape for this upcoming season!

Any ideas?
niuiceprincess

I believe the Sk8Strong DVDs covers plyometric exercises (I'm thinking of asking for these dvds for my birthday lol)…it is important to do them correctly to get the most benefit and prevent injury. Yoga and pilates are also great for skaters for core strength and flexibility and you can even do them right in the living room.

In the winter I also do snowboarding. I just started last season so I'm nowhere as skilled in it as I am in skating…but I find it great cardio and works out your quads and core as well. It also promotes body awareness and coordination which is beneficial for skating.
http://icemom.net Ice Mom

I know that Lauren has sk8strong DVDs on sale on eBay – $30 max/CD through July 12, I think. That's a $10 savings.

Just an FYI. I don't get paid from her or anything.
Jozet at Halushki

We're being pretty lax this summer as far as more typical types of supplemental and cross training. A lot of bike riding, going to play grounds for swinging and climbing (my sk8tr grrl drives us nutso with her climbing around the house – stair rails, door frames, etc.), swimming, walking through creeks, hiking, neighborhood pick-up soccer. We've also mixed it up with some musical theater classes, theater dance classes, yoga. Nothing regimented or uber organized.

Maybe we should, but I have to balance “keep her active” with “keep her interested”. She's not typically a long-focus kid.

Does Dance Dance Revolution purple level count? That too.
Lauren

Thanks Diane for the mentions! And no I don't pay her, but maybe I should… . Anyone is free to ask me any off-ice training questions, whether you use Sk8Strong programs or not. Always willing to educate as many people as possible! Any requests or suggestions about new DVDs are always welcome.
Sk8nln

My dd just had 2 weeks off of EVERYTHING (off-ice and on-ice) for our summer trip. Today she was back on the ice and trying to convince her coach that our water trampoline and doing flips into the water constituted off-ice training.

On a serious note dd has been added yoga and pilates classes this summer to her off-ice. We hope to keep that in the schedule once school starts, but may not find a class to fit our schedule and then it will be the discipline for us to commit to doing it together at home.
niuiceprincess

i'll look into the DVDs…thanks
Britt

I have always been confused about off-ice. When should you start doing off-ice? I wish there were some type of suggestion chart (how much you should be doing at Freestyle 1, 2, 3, etc.)
Lauren

Hi Britt.

You can start doing basic functional movement exercises as early as age 7. My younger skaters up to pre-pre/ preliminary typically do 2 days/week. Competitive skaters who are really serious into their training do 3-5 days/week, but not the same routine each time. It is important to mix it up each day (hence the circuits Sk8Strong provides). It is hard to provide a definate chart for each age and level, as skaters have other commitments such as school, other activities, and other sports. If people ask me to come up with a schedule for them, I will ask them to provide me with their weekly schedule of skating and other activities. From there, we can develop an appropriate program that won't overwork the skater, but provide enough training for them to succeed.
Rgarri

My daughter at 9 yrs old is doing tae kwon do with her brother. It really strenghens her core muscles. Currently is on her green belt and works with her ballet instructor once a week.

Love your blog
I just found it.
Season452

My daughter is doing high off ice conditioning, power stroking and a purebarre classes. Purebarre is a fusion class of ballet, pilates and yoga. This class also incorperates light weight training and areobics.

She also went to North Carolina last week with our church on a mission trip to rebuild houses for people who are victims of hurricane storms. I think climbing on roofs and installing shingles or demolishing the interior of a home would be a form of off ice conditioning? What do you think? Have a great summer?:)Season
Britt

Thanks Lauren
Britt

Thanks Lauren
Lynne

I had not heard this, but my son spent 2 hours in the pool this morning, just playing around with his brothers, so swimming but not laps or anything. We went to the rink this evening and he had a wonderful skate, including landing his double flip which he’s been working on, so it definitely didn’t negatively affect his skating.
Lynne

I had not heard this, but my son spent 2 hours in the pool this morning, just playing around with his brothers, so swimming but not laps or anything. We went to the rink this evening and he had a wonderful skate, including landing his double flip which he's been working on, so it definitely didn't negatively affect his skating.