by Chris
26. April 2010 18:37
Whether you are looking for a break from the ice after a long season, or you don’t have summer ice, it is always a good time of the year for training. Most Elite level skaters take a couple months away from the ice, it is a good way to regenerate both physically and mentally. While they may be off the ice, most are still staying active though, and so should you. Getting back into skating after taking time off can be very hard on your legs, but there are some great ways to avoid this through cross-training.
For years speedskaters have been well known as amazing cyclists. Just look at the great Dr. Eric Heiden who was the first U.S. Pro Cycling Champion and rode in the Tour de France. Chris Witty finished 5th in the 500m in track cycling at the Sydney Olympics. We can go back further to Art Longsjo who in 1956 competed in the Winter Olympics as a speedskater and the Summer Olympics as a cyclist. You don’t need to be a pro to take advantage of this, cycling is a great way to keep up your aerobic conditioning in the warmer months while you are off the ice.
When all the ice ha
s melted, many skaters trade their blades for wheels. Inline skating is a great way to stay in shape, and even improve your strength and fitness, during the summer months. This is the reason why so many great inline skaters have found success on ice, starting with K.C. Boutiette, and more recently Heather Richardson. If you are still racing around on a pair of the old 5 wheel setups, check out the new big wheel 4x100+mm frames and you will be cr
uising at all new speeds in no time.
Then there is the tried and true dryland training. This is what makes speedskaters walk with a little swagger amongst other athletes. A good dryland regimen includes a series of exercises that have developed over the years to mimic skating positions and movements. They have funny names like Wooder Squats, Crossbacks, and UpDowns but there is nothing funny about them. They will make you strong and they have been the backbone of World Champions since we first started skating in circles.
There is not one off season workout that will bring you to the next level, it is the combination of many where you will find optimal results. Find time to get in touch with skating while cruising along a bike path on your inline skates. Go for a long easy bike ride on a Saturday to build your aerobic base while helping your legs to recover from a hard dryland session earlier in the week. Let us know what you have planned for summer training and what you and your club do during the summer months.