Ankle weights: The wisdom (or lack there of) in usage.

[lutefisk]

Ice dancing with a partner is teaching me many things.  Among those things is the fact that my left stroke is not as good as my right stroke in terms of power, edge control and most of all, extension.  With that in mind I've been thinking about getting ankle weights to use both on and off ice to see if I can strengthen both legs but particularly the left one.  It occurs to me that ankle weights may provoke knee or other joint problems.  I have very little experience with weights so advice from the fitness gurus in the audience is welcome.   

[Lola]

I would advise against ankle weights and work on stroking on your weaker side to balance yourself out. Weights only work in one direction.

[AgnesNitt]

I've been toying with this idea for my left (weaker) leg. It has to be light weights, like a pound or so or it will kill your knees.

In England roller skaters use leg weights for training. 

[dlbritton]

When I was rehabbing my knee last year my physical therapist had me doing (lying down) side leg lifts for my hip abductors and hip adductors. She said to add ankle weights once I could do both legs with no real strain.

She did tell me not to wear ankle weights around the house or for working out where I was walking/striding due to the amount of strain that would put on the knee. 

[lutefisk]

I've been toying with this idea for my left (weaker) leg. It has to be light weights, like a pound or so or it will kill your knees.

In England roller skaters use leg weights for training.

A couple of the freestylers at our rink wear them on-ice when practicing spirals.  That's what gave me the idea that ankle weights might improve extension for my left stroke.  I'm thinking more about off-ice than on-ice use.  My boots (not "ice flys") and blades (no carbon at this address) should be weighty enough for on-ice practice.

[icedancer]

Another thing you could do would be to just put on your skates off-ice and practice stroking on land - you can hold on to a wall or post or something - You can "stroke" and also practicing pointing your toe in the boot which will help with extension.

I've done this to work on lifting my hip on my free side - put on the skates and pretend to skate!  No need to buy any extra ankle weights...

Be careful of course, as always.

[AgnesNitt]

There was a hockey guy at my old rink that skated with a stretch band (like champion cords) between his ankles to improve his stroke strength.

[lutefisk]

There was a hockey guy at my old rink that skated with a stretch band (like champion cords) between his ankles to improve his stroke strength.

With my (lack of) coordination I'd probably wind up making my dentist's next couple of boat payments if I did this! 

During my group lesson I had the coach take a critical look at my stroking and she made some meaningful suggestions about pointing the foot which in turn keeps the knee from bending, etc. 

@ icedancer: I like the idea of just putting on my skates off-ice and hanging on to something--it appeals to my thrifty nature!

[Nate]

A couple of the freestylers at our rink wear them on-ice when practicing spirals.  That's what gave me the idea that ankle weights might improve extension for my left stroke.  I'm thinking more about off-ice than on-ice use.  My boots (not "ice flys") and blades (no carbon at this address) should be weighty enough for on-ice practice.

Ice Flies are some of the lightest skates on the market for that class of skate.

I personally don't fine heavy skates to help that much. Stretching and off ice strength training is way more effective and has less impact on your lower back, in my experience.

Sent from my Galaxy Note 3 using Tapatalk.

[dlbritton]

Tonight one of the LTS coaches was wearing a 15 pound weighted vest. She is getting ready for her Dance 7 and above tests. She said she wears it teaching Basic skills classes, walking around and just stroking. Then she takes if off for serious practice and said it feels like she is floating on air.

[lutefisk]

Tonight one of the LTS coaches was wearing a 15 pound weighted vest. She is getting ready for her Dance 7 and above tests. She said she wears it teaching Basic skills classes, walking around and just stroking. Then she takes if off for serious practice and said it feels like she is floating on air.

When I was a kid and was much lighter in weight, we did kind of the same thing during windy Moth Boat races:  since the authorities frowned on the notion of putting lead weighs in your life vest, we instead would put on multiple layers of over sized sweat shirts and then jump in the bay before launching our boats.  The extra weight provided by those wet sweat shirts helped us keep the boats hiked flat to weather!  When I think back on some the stuff we did as kids it amazes me that any of us survived to become aged, risk taking skaters!  Once a risk taker, always a risk taker I suppose...