Some Off Ice Exercises

[Query]

Some Off Ice Exercise ideas to share

1. My coach has been emphasizing postural aspects, in which I should be holding a somewhat backwards arched upright back, with one leg lifted halfway (45 degrees) between sideways and back, for many seconds, while skating, and the other knee bent. Of course, other skating posture things, like rear end in a sitting position, rather than sticking out, and proper knee alignment, are needed too.

She says this isn't just an ice dance pose, that it is expected in freestyle as well, while holding edges.  I am much stronger with the leg straight back than at this angle. For that reason, my leg tends to want to go too far to the back, both in held poses, and on
jumps. It also feels a bit out of balance. I need to strengthen myself in this pose.

2. I visited my mom. She goes to "balance classes". Although this particular series of classes were intended for people in their 70's through 90's, they used some good ideas. In particular,

A. They use stretch bands anchored against chairs. You can do things like
leg lifts with resistance. You can also pull inwards with your leg against the band, balancing your muscles. Maybe good for power pulls, so you can use pulling as well as pushing strength.

Maybe stretch bands would also be useful, anchored under a foot, for strengthening the body in deep knee bend exercises. I can do deep knee bends on two legs, but have been unable to cross the strength threshold to doing it well on one. Leg press machines
don't seem to help much - I think the posture is different from what I need for skating. But maybe extra resistance from a stretch band is what I need.

Stretch bands are also a lot cheaper than exercise machines and weights, don't take up much space, and are portable. So you don't have to go to the gym.

B. They did balance moves with their eyes closed. Wow! What a difference, and what a great idea! I guess it helps you to train your inner sense of balance. I never realized
how much I rely on my eyes for balance. They also rest their hands on the chair, then try to balance with the hand off the chair.

[Skittl1321]

My physical therapist has had me start balancing on one foot with my eye closed (no shoes- shoes help).  I have to do it with my knees bent and without.

One foot balances on top of a BOSU ball are also excellent, but I wouldn't do it with closed eyes unless you have someone supervising you.


For me, the biggest thing is to work on training my inner quads- skating pretty well ignores them, and that is the root of most of my knee problems. My outer quads are over developed, and it pulls the knee cap.

[Skate@Delaware]

There is a progression in balance exercises-stable surface to unstable surface. So you would balance with your eyes open with your feet on the floor and holding onto either a chair or a counter. Then you could do the same exercise with your eyes closed. Progress in small steps and as your balance time increases and stability improves, move on to the next step.  Once you are balancing with eyes closed, try letting go of the chair. Next, add an unstable surface such as a piece of foam cushion or a balance disk but keep your eyes open. Progress to eyes closed. As you develop your balance, you need to constantly challenge it.  By the time you've progressed you should be on a highly unstable surface and be able to hold a single-leg balance with eyes closed and be able to move arms and free leg in a variety of movements without falling.