Off-ice training for figure skaters: Why, What, When and How

Our guest columnist today is Lauren Downes (see right), founder of Sk8Strong Inc. Lauren has a MSPT (Master of Science in Physical Therapy), and is also a physical therapist, skating professional, and off-ice trainer who has worked with figure skaters since 1994. She wanted to share her thoughts about the importance of off-ice training, which some of us skaters (me included) seem to put aside when the season begins.

Off-Ice Training for Figure Skaters: Why, What, When and How
by Lauren Downes, MSPT

Off-ice training is a much buzzed about topic in the world of figure skating.  Many skaters do it, many coaches and trainers teach it, but do people really know how the details of how it should be done, and what it really is?  I’ve written this article to help skaters have a better understanding of the proper forms of exercise, how often exercise should be done, who should instruct the exercise, and why off-ice training exercises are important.

WHY should a skater do exercises off-ice?

Figure skating is a sport that puts significant strength and flexibility demands on the body. Athletes in other sports may say that figure skating is not a "sport" and it is more artistic performance, but they are quite wrong! Skaters are some of the strongest athletes in the world.

Some skaters have natural strength, balance, and core strength that will take them through the lower levels of skating quickly, but the majority of skaters need to improve upon each of those attributes in order to progress to higher levels. Once the "naturally talented" skaters reach a level at which double jumps and difficult spins are required, that natural ability will only take them so far. The core strength and plyometric strength requirements of the sport are significant, and at some point, a skater needs to build strength beyond what he or she naturally has. By completing an off-ice training program at least twice a week, skaters will progress their on-ice skills at a faster pace, and be able to handle the strength demands of jumping, spinning, and longer programs.

Below are some examples of the attributes a skater needs to succeed in the sport of figure skating.

• Core strength and stability: Core strength originates from the abdominal and back muscles. These muscles work together to act as a "control center" for the body’s balance and stability. In the sport of figure skating, skaters need exceptionally strong core muscles to maintain balance, check rotation and maintain a tight air position for jumping, control the center of spin rotation, and control the upper body position during footwork, stroking, and crossovers. 

• Balance: Think about how much of skating is done on one foot: almost everything! Some people are blessed with natural balance, but the majority of us need improvement through exercises. There are several factors which affect the sense of balance in our body. First, our vestibular system (the inner ear) helps us sense the body’s position while we are moving. Second, the eyes help us detect our surroundings. Third, and most important for skaters, the balance receptors in our feet and lower extremities tell us where our bodies are in relation to the ground.

• Strength and power: Without muscle strength, a skater would skate very slowly, have small jumps, have shorter and slower spins, and would tire easily in a program and in practice sessions. Strength creates power and can improve endurance, and is the number one necessity for a skater to improve and become consistent. Through exercise, a muscle’s fibers become tighter and stronger, and can withstand more repetition for longer durations when asked to contract.

• Flexibility: Spirals, biellmans, split jumps, spread eagles...just to name a few elements that require extraordinary flexibility. Muscle flexibility controls the angle of the knee, hip, and ankle joint on a jump take-off and landing, and a small deficit in muscle length can affect the quality of a jump. Joint position and motion, controlled by the surrounding muscle length, also affects the angle of the joints in the lower extremity during basic stroking, crossovers, spins, and footwork. Each joint in your body needs a balance of flexibility on all sides to move in the proper range of motion.

WHAT kind of exercise should a skater be doing?

In the past ten years or so, sports training has progressed from solely using weight machines to using an athlete’s body weight as resistance in exercise. Many functional exercises incorporate the use of several muscle groups at one time, instead of exercises focusing on the contraction of a single muscle. How is this more beneficial? In every sport, an athlete moves his or her body in various planes of movement which require several muscles to co-contract at the same time. Each joint requires the strength from several muscles to stabilize it for the action it performs. Functional exercises train the body in these planes of movement to mimic the motions performed in sports. Many sports require a high degree of strength that an athlete may not have naturally; that strength needs to be created through additional training. Figure skating is no exception.

WHEN should a skater do off-ice training exercises?

Each skater’s training routine and requirements are different, depending on the skater’s level, schedule, and goals. A national competitor may do off-ice training five days per week, as opposed to a recreational skater’s program of one day a week. It is recommended to complete two to four days of off-ice training per week, depending on your level. Even if you choose to complete an off-ice training routine per week, you will show gains in strength, flexibility, and on-ice consistency. You take your training into your own hands, and control your own progress. You can find sample off-ice training periodization schedules through usfigureskating.org or in the Sk8Strong Off-ice Training for Figure Skaters Manual.

HOW do I start an off-ice training program?

There are several resources available to guide you through an off-ice training program specific for figure skaters. Sk8Strong has produced DVDs specific to each level of skater, and there are several off-ice training manuals in circulation. It is always recommended to consult with a health professional to evaluate the need for certain exercises and determine if a skater is using proper technique. If you are working with a trainer, make sure that the person has a degree in a health related field, ideally a physical therapy degree. There are also several respectable strength and conditioning certifications available from the NSCA and NASM, such as the "Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist" and "Performance Enhancement Specialist" designations. It is important to work with someone qualified, to avoid injury and receive the maximum benefit from your training.

About Sk8strong
Under the direction of Stephen Conca, a strength and conditioning specialist, Lauren and Sk8Strong have produced four different strength and conditioning DVDs specifically for figure skaters, from beginner, to competitive, to adult. Each DVD provides detailed instruction, demonstration, and progression of each exercise appropriate for a skater's level. Click here to read Lauren's article entitled Functional training or gym machines: Which is better for skaters?

Functional training or gym machines: Which is better for skaters?

Our guest columnist today is Lauren Downes (see right), founder of Sk8Strong Inc. Lauren has a MSPT (Master of Science in Physical Therapy), and is also a physical therapist, skating professional, and off-ice trainer who has worked with figure skaters since 1994. I asked her to select a topic that she felt was important for figure skaters to be aware of, and she wanted to share her expertise in the benefits of functional training versus gym machines. As figure skaters, we're constantly balancing being strong and flexible, but not looking bulky and tight. Here is what Lauren had to say about being in the best shape possible for skaters.

Functional training or gym machines: Which is better?
by Lauren Downes, MSPT

Back in the "old days" of training, almost every athlete could be found in the gym using weight machines to build strength and muscle mass, no matter which sport he or she played. They used the traditional leg press, leg curl, and leg extension machines to bulk up their thighs, and the calf press for their lower legs. There is no question that these machines increase muscle mass and make these athletes stronger, but how did this type of training carry over to their sports? Unless the athlete was a power lifter, it didn’t!

Most weight machines isolate one muscle or muscle group at a time, by following the action that muscle controls. Repetitive contraction against resistance will strengthen a muscle’s fibers and make it bigger and more defined. If a person wants to tone or target a certain area of the body, using a weight machine can accomplish that goal, but it will not maximize training benefits for an athlete. In the majority of sports, using figure skating as an example, athletes are constantly required to recruit power and speed from several muscle groups at once. Figure skaters’ muscles need the ability to accelerate and decelerate with significant force and strength to complete jumps, change speeds and directions, and hold spin positions. A single muscle cannot accomplish this on it's own -- synergistic contractions of muscles are needed to create such forces. The most beneficial way to train muscles to co-contract is through functional training.

The official definition of functional training is "the classification of exercises which involves training the body for the activities performed in everyday life." These exercises use the body’s weight as resistance, with one of more extremities planted on the ground or stable surface. Examples include lunges, single leg dead lifts, hip strengthening while standing on one leg, bridging, and one-legged squats. Such exercises mimic actions that we perform every day, whether it be reaching to pick a pencil off of the floor or loading a dishwasher. Humans are constantly balancing their body while bending over or on one foot -- we are exercising when we don’t even realize it!

Figure skaters are perpetually in motion, bending the knees, hips, and ankles. Ninety percent of the actions skaters perform require a certain degree of core stability, balance, and strength, using several muscle groups at once. With many functional based exercises, the body is forced to use the core, balance receptors, and lower extremity muscles together to complete a motion. Performing functional exercises, a skater can accomplish much more in a shorter time frame than using a weight machine, by condensing the strengthening of several areas into one exercise.

Besides saving time, functional training can be safer than using weight machines for exercises. Most of our bodies are not entirely symmetrical, referring to joint movements, muscle flexibility, and muscle strength. Many machines are moved by both the upper extremities or lower extremities simultaneously, requiring symmetrical movement of the joints and muscles. By using asymmetrical movement, there is a greater chance for injury or increase in joint dysfunction. Machines also should be adjusted properly according to one’s height, and injury can occur if the machine is not set up properly. In an exercise such as a lunge, the body follows its natural path of movement, instead of being controlled by the movement of a machine. The body activates muscle memory in regards to the positioning and control of a joint, which can carry over to functional movement in our everyday life.

Using weight machines can be helpful to a skater, by increasing muscle mass and strength, yet functional training will prove to be more beneficial for balance and stability. Figure skating is one of the most technical and demanding sports on the body, and skaters need the best off-ice training available to them to accomplish their goals.  Functional training is the answer!

About Sk8strong
Under the direction of Stephen Conca, a strength and conditioning specialist, Lauren and Sk8Strong have produced four different strength and conditioning DVDs specifically for figure skaters, from beginner, to competitive, to adult. Each DVD (see right) provides detailed instruction, demonstration, and progression of each exercise appropriate for a skater's level. The exercises are designed to provide skaters with a comprehensive training program to build core, lower and upper body functional strength, increase plyometric jump height, build single leg stability, and reduce risk of injury. Also available at Sk8Strong are an off-ice training manual, skill analyses, injury reports, site membership, video analysis, and more. Lauren also acts as an off-ice training advisor and is readily available to answer any skater's or coaches questions about injuries or training.

Champion Cords: Helping skaters achieve their best

A few weeks ago, I came across this website and video called Champion Cords. Watching it, I was kind of reminded me of when I complain to my coach, "My body won't go that way!" or "I can't get my leg in that position!" or how about this one, an oldie and a classic for me, "I can't do it on that side. Let's move on." I wonder if Sheila Thelen (see right), inventor of Champion Cords, heard these comments from other students, which led to her creation.

I contacted Sheila, who's based in Shafer, Minnesota, to get the backstory about Champion Cords and it's quite interesting! She said,

In the spring of 2003, I was struggling with teaching a skater the dreaded single axel. Finally, in frustration, I said, "I’m going to tie your left hand and left foot together, so you are forced to move – as a unit.” I put my guards on, ran up to the office, cut a big section of bungee cord (used to tie the puck bucket to the locker room keys), and ran back down onto the ice. I proceeded to knot the cord around the skater’s boot and tied another knot at the other end of the cord in a loop, creating a handle. The skater went on to land ten axels in that lesson! He came back each time saying very important words to me, such as, “Now I know where my left foot goes in midair.” “Look what this cord does for my landings – now I’m doing the landings the way YOU wanted them.” “I think I’m really getting the hang of this!” Of course, the comment that he made which also resonated with me a lot was, “This bungee cord really works great!”

After working with several other students using her makeshift cords, Sheila realized that she was onto something. With the cords' assistance, she saw a huge change in the skater’s posture, position and awareness. Good skaters looked and performed better. Great skaters looked even more amazing! (see right, national competitor Tommy Steenberg) Fast forward many sleepless nights, months of researching patents and designs, putting her marketing background to good use, producing instructional DVDs, obtaining the endorsement of the Professional Skaters Association (PSA), coming up with a name, and voilà! Sheila now has a product that is being used by over 18,000 coaches and skaters throughout the world, including notable coaches/choreographers such as Audrey Weisiger, Frank Carroll, Robin Wagner, Isabelle Brasseur, Jimmy Santee (PSA Executive Director), Jill Shipsted-Thomas (Choreographer for Disney On Ice) and Paul Wylie.

Sheila encourages coaches and skaters to use Champion Cords for singles, doubles, triples, quads, spirals, moves in the field, flying camels, laybacks, split jumps, camels, stroking, crossovers, presentation, posture, alignment, position, muscle memory, awareness and technique. I think that pretty much covers everything on the ice. Most skaters wear their Champion Cords for about half an hour each day and I asked Sheila what she has seen as the the biggest improvement in her students who work with her cords.

Confidence. The skaters are learning so much quicker, or fixing long last mistakes so much quicker, that they realize, "I can do this!" That means so much to me and our staff of dedicated coaches. My friend Audrey Weisiger of Grassroots to Champions always says, "Practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect!" I truly believe that Champion Cords help skaters achieve this goal.. . . I've seen so many skaters improve in the areas of jumps and spins. You really notice a skater's jump improvements in alignment, posture, free foot position and their landing positions especially!  But you also notice a major improvement in the skaters in their camels, back spins, and laybacks. The biggest difference I notice is skaters coming back to me saying, "I can really feel that! I now notice where my body is - and I can feel what my coach is telling me!" That makes me very happy to see those kinds of results.

In addition to coaching, Sheila is also the Executive Director of Grassroots to Champions, which holds seminars around the country helping skaters and coaches achieve the best results possible. For additional information about Champion Cords, you can check out her website or contact Sheila at sk8thelen[AT]aol[DOT]com.

Serena Williams in an original Carrie Jones figure skating dress

Anyone watch the women's final at Wimbledon? Big sister Venus Williams took the title in straight sets over little sis Serena, 7-5, 6-4. Prior to Wimbledon, 40 of the world's top players collaborated with the International Tennis Federation to put together a glossy coffee table book called Journey to Beijing: Tennis Celebrates the Olympics to celebrate the 20th anniversary of tennis being reinstated to the Olympics. But who wants to see tennis players in tennis wear? Granted, the Williams sisters and others have elevated tennis fashion (see Serena at right in warmup trenchcoat), but I want to see something different! And the book delivers --- the players are dressed up as athletes from other sports. Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal is a soccer player, Roger Federer is a fencer, Maria Sharapova is a rhythmic gymnast, and Serena Williams is a figure skater!

I contacted Carrie Jones, who made Serena's dress, to get the backstory (and what a backstory!) and this what she said:

It was a thrill, a blessing and a little luck to have been chosen to make Serena's dress. A very nice representative, Danny Kendall, from the Family Circle Cup (the women's only tennis tournament played here in Charleston, South Carolina each year) called me on a Thursday morning in May. We talked for a few minutes and naturally I was a bit confused, yet thrilled that Serena needed a dress. I had to ask a couple of times before I finally all got the details straight. I couldn't hear his voice over my heart pounding so loud -- my eyes glazed over. Her name just kind of hung in the air as what I had been offered really sunk in. I have to say I have no idea what Danny said for the next four minutes. 

I was all ready to clean my house, get a sitter for my daughter, and to have a fitting with Serena when he said that she needed the dress by 5 o'clock the next day in Florida. I suddenly realized it was already 10 o'clock on Thursday morning. I knew she was tall (5'10") and I would have a hard time fitting her if I didn't make the dress specifically for her. There was nothing I could give her off the rack. Under normal circumstances, there would be a "fit check" process that took a week. I wouldn't take this kind of challenge on for anyone (okay maybe Michelle Kwan, but if you're reading this Michelle, please give me at least a week!). Danny promised that Serena's agent had every possible measurement for her and that this would be forwarded onto me via e-mail. So then with a suppressed primal scream I cheerfully told him I'd be happy to help. I explained, however, that we did not have time to go back and forth over design and colors, etc. as I would normally do with a customer. If she needed it by tomorrow everyone would just have to trust me. 

I ran in the house (I was on my cell phone), I looked at my assistant/baby's God Momma Linda and explained to her that we are going to make a dress for Serena Williams. I didn't even have time tell her all the details but it needed to go out with all its rhinestones in less than seven hours. I got the measurements, I cut the dress and we worked. Linda left at 4 p.m. that day, what a trooper and a crack seamstress I might add. The dress was done except for the stones (see right). I knew that I would have to have it to the Fed Ex office by 7 p.m. with stones that were dry enough that they wouldn't shift on the dress when the box was handled.

When I handed over the package to the lady at the Fed Ex counter, she did a double take as her eyes went from me to the addressee, then back to me again and with one brow raised she asked, as only the most seasoned postal worker could, "Serena...Serena?" "Um... yep." I replied in stunned disbelief myself and with a huge grin. Have you ever smiled so much that your face hurts?  Yeah...it was that kind of day. They don't come often, and when they are upon you, you never forget how sweet they are.

Danny and I watched the package online via the Fed Ex tracking system the next day. He said her shoot had been moved up to 3 p.m. I told him that was fine because I had marked to have it delivered by 10 a.m. As each hour passed we spoke for anxious brief moments on the phone about the package's status like it was a kidney on it's way for a transplant.  By 5 o'clock it had been re-routed, almost misdelivered and was very late. FINALLY it was marked online as "delivered" and signed for and the phone stopped ringing. She had it. I let myself stop thinking about it. 

For several weeks we worked and chased after my one-year-old. Linda asked about "the dress" a couple of times. "Did you hear anything?" she'd ask. I told her that I wasn't worried since it felt good when I shipped it and very meant to be. Besides, I had decided that if it went bad, I didn't want to know that I squandered the opportunity, and if it went well, I knew I'd hear about that news too. 

Danny called about three weeks ago. He relayed that it went well...very well. Okay, now for that primal scream -- "IT WAS PERFECT AND SHE LOVED IT!" She even wore the dress after the shoot and met with fans at the rink for the public skating session that followed.

Danny was very gracious and offered to introduce me and get pictures with Serena the next time she was in town and while I would love to meet her, she did far more for me then I did for her. Famous people are very busy, mostly with people who benefit directly from their hard work and talent.  Maybe someday she will let me take her to lunch. For now, I'm reassured that everything happens for a reason, even lost packages...Maybe those few hours that the package was misdirected was karma. Those stones must have needed to dry just a bit longer.

(photo below, from left to right, Carrie Jones, Sullivan and Linda)

      

Art of Skating: It started with the addiction to water

Anita Wos is a rowing addict. What is a rowing addict, you may ask? Well, a rowing addict is like a skating addict, just melt the ice until you're surrounded by pristine water and instead of skates, throw in a pair of oars, a sleek boat, and voilà!, you have a rowing addict. Anita began rowing in 2001 at age 44, got hooked, and is currently president of the Killer Bees Rowing Club, in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.

In 2000, Anita, who had been creating e-commerce sites for small to medium-sized businesses, decided to start her own e-commerce site after asking herself this one very important question: Why am I working so hard for other people? (Don't we all ask that question at some point in our lives?) One day, in the back of a rowing magazine, she saw an advertisement for Watermark Fine Arts in Maine, which published and sold rowing-related watercolor paintings, posters, cards, and photographic pieces. Being addicted to the activity that the product line was based on and knowing that she could better market the product line, Anita began negotiations with the owner of the company. At around the same time, she met her future spouse through her love of rowing.

Anita was attending a rowing club meeting and asked for a volunteer who could row with her the following day, due to choppy weather conditions. Who stepped forward but Lenny, and the two began rowing together on a regular basis. While chatting in their boat one morning, Anita mentioned that she was trying to start an e-commerce business by purchasing Watermark Fine Arts. It was at that moment that Lenny mentioned that he was an artist. What are the chances of that? As soon as Anita saw Lenny's paintings, she was thoroughly impressed (see right), and knew that "a special thing was happening."

After purchasing Watermark Fine Arts and rebranding it Bright Water Gallery, Anita began The Art of Rowing, and also helped to publish Lenny's rowing paintings into limited edition works. Any trepidations about mixing business with friendship were soon cast aside when they realized that they were meant to be partners in life too. At the end of this post is the happy couple in 2004 rowing to their wedding!

After creating Art of Rowing, Anita wanted to add another seasonal sport to her site. As she explains, "I looked at skiing, but there was a lot of competition in that market. At one point, I also looked at swimming, but I didn't think lots of water and chlorine would be good for artwork." Does Anita have a sense of humor or what!?! She continues, "But then I looked at skating and the market was fairly open. There weren't other people doing quite what we envisioned. A person who is attracted to skating is drawn to the beauty of it. Also, skating involves family and friends, but there is also a big fan component and I really believed that we could make a go of it."

And so, the Art of Skating made its debut early this year and Anita and Lenny are working hard to promote their business and further educate themselves about the skating world. They attended the recent U.S. Synchronized  Skating Championships in Providence, Rhode Island, where they showcased their products to the public and got great feedback about what people like and were looking for in skating art. Lenny, who by day is a software trainer, also had a chance to take photographs, sit in the stands and sketch, and be inspired to create event paintings.

Anita also adds that her experience with Art of Rowing has definitely helped her to come up with better offerings for the skating market. She says that, "I do quite a bit of searching and 90% of the time I go 'yuck' but when I like a product, I make sure it's great quality, buy it wholesale and resell at a reasonable price." Anita also looks through obscure art websites to find particular styles and artists she likes. Because Anita is also a graphics artist, she finds vintage artwork that the copyright is clear on, cleans up the image, removes advertisement words, and turns it into something new.  At right is an illustration done for a French magazine at the turn of the 20th century which Anita made into a poster called Yvette.

Her great (and creative) sense of humor has also made it into some of the offerings. Below is Skating to Noah's Ark, which Lenny illustrated, and is perhaps one of my favorites. The "scripture" on the cartoon reads: "And the animals came in pairs except the hippos, who were ice dancing."

For those of you wondering, Anita has skated as a child, but is not a skating addict. Frankly, I was glad to know that. One addiction is enough I think, and when you're rowing off to your wedding in your beautiful gown, you're pretty much past the recovery stage. So welcome to our skating world Anita and everyone, check out Art of Skating!