Gym Routines for Skaters

[Backtotheice]

Does anyone have a gym routine (weight machines, free weights, cardio) that they do to enhance their skating? I started going to the gym again this week to help stregthen my core, supporting muscles around my knees, and my lower back. I know my way around a gym but right now I'm sort of just randomly doing exercises instead of having a plan. I need a plan!

Does anyone have any ideas they could share, or web sites with general gym workout plans?

Thanks!

[riley876]

My basic routine:

Pistol squats (for hams/glutes/quads/stabilisers)
Backwards stair climbs (for VMOs)
Donkey kicks (for hams/glutes)
Hamstring ball rolls (for hams/core)
Adductor and abductor pulls against an elastic band

... none of which needs a gym.

I don't have the time or incentive to bother with upper body work.

[Loops]

I've used the sk8strong adult skater workout combined with running in the past.  I got lax this year, and really need to start doing it again. It's good in that it's skating specific, targets core, upper and lower body muscles and needs very little equipment.    I also have her dynamic warmup program and the manual.  I recommend...especially if you're self motivated/not easily distracted by all the crap that needs to get done in the house....

[Backtotheice]

I've used the sk8strong adult skater workout combined with running in the past.  I got lax this year, and really need to start doing it again. It's good in that it's skating specific, targets core, upper and lower body muscles and needs very little equipment.    I also have her dynamic warmup program and the manual.  I recommend...especially if you're self motivated/not easily distracted by all the crap that needs to get done in the house....

Oh, thanks. I didn't know that existed! I will take a look!

[iomoon]

5 minute warmup with the treadmill or method of choice

Leg strength:
Pistol squats... to start, you can lower down onto a chair. This move will improve your sit spins.
squats with weights
Split squats
hip thrusters

Explosive power:
Two foot jumps onto aerobic steps
One foot jump onto aerobic steps
off ice jumping with any jumps you're working on

Core strength:
bosu ball balancing
pushups
planks
side planks
dancer pose
TRX knee tucks
Russian twists

Cooldown: Stretching is just as important! Even if the the biellmann is out of reach, flexibility affects your movement.

and so many I can't think of off the top of my head. XD

[larry]

My routine is focussed towards lifts currently, but my suggestion would be to go to a gym where you trust the people and get a turn-based subscription (where you pay a small fee every year and then 10 times which you can use anytime during the year) and get them to setup a personal schedule for your goal that you do daily (or 3-5 times per week) at home.
Then once a month (or whenever you see fit) return for a checkup if you are still doing the exercises correctly and if you are making progress.
Also make sure you bring a tablet/laptop along to show what your goal is and what you want to do on the ice, because that might influence the sort of exercise you have to do and what you need to pay attention for. To give an example, when doing squats make sure you keep your feet parallel and not pointing to the side, and make sure you don't look down. Because that sort of stuff might transfer to what you do on the ice.

Warmup is very very important as well (I do rope skipping 5min and off ice jumps like axel 5min) and stretch after the workout since your muscles will be warm anyway so it makes sense.
No sure about how important cool-down is (though my trainer at the gym did include it I tend to skip it, I just stretch, that's good enough right?)

To stick to it I use a paper schema where I check of every day the amount of reps I did or amount of pushups. (Some days are bad and I only do everything once or twice, some days I skip, but the paper doesn't lie and it even motivates to see your progression or see you held out a whole week daily)


Also something I noticed, what and when you eat influences workouts a lot, I eat oatmeal and greek yoghurt 2 hours before my workout (which is in the evening between 8pm and 9pm), if I eat greasy or to close to my workout I feel like I'm dying.