I now have a split routine for strengthening -- I alternate upper and lower body, and I work out every day (or I try to). I do core strengthening every time.
I do dynamic workouts for the upper body (rows, pushups, extensions, curls). For the lower body, I am back to isometrics after a bad experience with lunging, and the squat is my only dynamic exercise. For some reason, isometrics work best with my lower body (my knees!!!!), but I prefer dynamic exercises for the upper body.
A split routine is ideal for me, as each workout (until stretching) takes 1 hour, so I really have to do it in a split routine. However, I also skate, and I can't skate when I'm sore. I tried once (quads were hurting and pulling my knee), and it got a lot worse. So I have to skate when my muscles are recovered. For me, Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) heals 2 days after the exercise. When I overdo it, it's 3-4 days.
So, in a week, this means that if I want to skate with functioning muscles, I can only do strength training 4 days a week, get 2 days off, then skate. I can't skate on 2 consecutive days too, since skating is a lower body exercise for me and I do end up getting sore legs after skating.
I would like to skate 2x a week by June, but given my DOMS history, I don't see how this is possible. I can't decrease my strength training frequency (since they're actually 2x a week right now split in two parts), so the only way that I can skate 2x a week is if I don't get DOMS.
How do you avoid DOMS? I used to sleep on ice packs but that doesn't work too well anymore.