What's your stretching routine on skating days?

[WaltzJump413]

I'm curious about what other forum members do on skating days for a quick stretch/warmup before skating.

What specific exercises/routines do you do?

Thanks in advance!

[CaraSkates]

I do an off ice warmup with dynamic stretching, then on ice warmup before any stretching of spirals/at the boards.

This is what I usually do -
light jog back and forth (I use the short end of the rink)
side toe hops both ways
grapevine both ways
high knees
butt kicks
walking lunges
walking leg lifts
"jump rope" (I don't use an actual rope)
10 jumping jacks
jump up, hit your feet together

Then I loosen up the rest of my body with head rolls, shoulder rolls, torso twists, etc, all the way down to ankle rolls. After that I do a couple one rotation jumps then do off ice jumps waltz through axel. If I am dancing only that day, I skip the off ice jumps. Once I get on the ice, I have a couple warmup patterns that I do that equate to about 5 laps and then I go do a quick stretch at the boards/stretch my spiral positions.

[WaltzJump413]

CaraSkates--this is wonderful! Thank you so much for taking the time to type this up!

[Doubletoe]

No stretching before skating, only after warming up on the ice with stroking, edges, turns, and some moves-in-the-field.  But I do at least 30 minutes of stretching after getting off the ice, when my muscles are warmed up from skating.  That is what keeps me flexible and injury-free and also breaks up the lactic acid so I'm not sore all the time!

[nicklaszlo]

My basic pairs off-ice warmup, as prescribed by pairs coach.

- Jumping in place, rotating both arms.  10, then reverse arms for another 10 jumps.
- Lunges, forward and sideways.
- Torso twists, then torso twists snapping to 1 rev of back scratch.
- Forward and backward bends, touching feet.

[WaltzJump413]

Thanks for your input, nicklaszlo and Doubletoe!

[iomoon]

 I jog for 5 minutes in the warm-up room, but Caraskate's idea sounds interesting. Maybe I should try the dynamic stretching.

[rsk8d]

Dynamic stretching is KEY to preventing injury and warming up the muscles and joints properly. Caraskates, do you use our Dynamic Warmup DVD?

[WaltzJump413]

rsk8d--Can you explain the difference between dynamic and typical stretching?

[CaraSkates]

Dynamic stretching is KEY to preventing injury and warming up the muscles and joints properly. Caraskates, do you use our Dynamic Warmup DVD?

No, I only have the competitive skater DVD. I have watched the demo youtube clips and incorporated some of those exercises into my off ice warmup. The others are exercises I learned in Lake Placid and from my coaches. I need to be better about it, I have been lazy about wearing sneakers with all the snow we have had lately! Digging the car out/not plowed rink parking lot is not fun in sneakers!

[PhysicsOnIce]

Mostly:
-5 to 10 minutes weighted jump rope ( 2kg)
-Single Rotations
-Double Rotations
-Full body roll outs (neck, shoulders, ankles, torso)
If I have time before getting on the ice:
-barre stretches
-Spiral Stretches
If not:
- off Ice full body stretches 15 to 30 minutes after the session.

Definitively need to include more of what CaraSkates. Putting it into my skating Journal right now!!!!

[rsk8d]

rsk8d--Can you explain the difference between dynamic and typical stretching?

Static stretching involves a long hold of a muscle at it's maximum length, typically for 30 seconds or so. Dynamic stretching involves quicker movements of a muscle through it's full range of motion, and you do 10 to 20 repetitions. It gives you a quick stretch while increasing blood flow to the muscle and joints, as well increasing the tissue temperature. This is important before any athletic activity, and static stretching and foam rolling are useful afterward.
Here's some demo exercises:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abRxi10rdGI

[WaltzJump413]

Thank you so much, rsk8d! I will definitely try that.

PhysicsOnIce--where did you buy the weighted jump rope?

[PhysicsOnIce]

Thank you so much, rsk8d! I will definitely try that.

PhysicsOnIce--where did you buy the weighted jump rope?

I bought mine at my pro-shop, but you might look online.. found some on ebay
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC1.A0.Xweighted+jump+rope&_nkw=weighted+jump+rope&_sacat=0&_from=R40

but honestly I would just check your local sport shop. They run around 8 to 10€ here.

[WaltzJump413]

Thanks, PhysicsOnIce!

[PinkLaces]

I do a number of exercises from the sk8 strong warm up. I only do dynamic stretching before skating. Then I do my on ice warm up. After that I do some old school stretches on the boards. The rinks that I go to have limited benches and dirty floors so I only do the ones were I don't have to sit.

[WaltzJump413]

Thanks PinkLaces!