Figure Skater Fitness JANUARY 2016

A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO SPORT SPECIFIC TRAINING

VOLUME 2 • ISSUE 1 • JAN 2016

CBC’S PJ KWONG TRANSLATES COMMON TV TERMS YOU CAN YOU CAN CONTROL CONTROL YOUR YOUR NERVES NERVES WITH WITH THESE THESE TIPS TIPS

TOP ENERGY BOOSTING BREAKFAST FOODS FOR FIGURE SKATERS www.figureskaterfitnessmag.com

THE MOST COMMON SKATING INJURES

WATCH OUT + PREVENT !

SECRET

FITNESS TIPS REVEALED ON SPORT SPECIFIC TRAINING

PATRICK CHAN

“APPROACH COMPETITIO N WIT CALMNESS IN YOUR MIN H CONFIDENCE AND D...RELY ON TRAINING”

Figure Skater fitness

NOTE FROM PUBLISHER

MAGAZINE

• makes skating smoother • improves feel and stability • increases agility and speed

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO FIGURE SKATER FITNESS!

SKATERS - YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE REMAINING IN YOUR WARM UP!

PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Signe Ronka CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dawn Drummond-Hill CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Angela Ronka CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Christian Bonin Stephan Potopnyk

The new anti-shock system reduced impact shocks, the major cause of overuse skating injuries.

WRITERS Dr. Bryon Weinberg Meghan Buttle Signe Ronka Rebekah Dixon Dr. Angelica Kada Ken Kashubara Christina Vandermissen Angela Vandermissen Ryan Stevens Doug Mattis Pj Kwong Kat Vernelli Kristen Piché Ricky Boudreau

Available in March

DESIGN/LAYOUT Envinion

www.edeaskates.com

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s competition season is in mid swing, it is important to remember that it can be quite a stressful time of year. Skater’s are worried about skating their personal best, coaches are anxious to see if all the hard work will pay off and parents are nervous for their kids to do well at competitions. With all these nerves flying around, it is key to stay on top of your game and not lose focus.

This issue of Figure Skater Fitness magazine will focus on the IN-SEASON competition theme. You will find this issue packed with amazing tips of what to eat before competing, how to train your mind to be ready for competition and fitness tips on how to keep up your A-game.

Often skaters will ramp up their training during the competitive season. We are here to help share with you the importance of injury prevention, tapering exercises to keep you on the ball and the best ways to stay motivated to reach your goals.

We have an awesome interview with Patrick Chan, Olympic silver medalist and three time world champion. Patrick and I trained together for many years at the Cricket Club and Granite Club. It’s amazing after all these years to see him grow as a person and skater. When we chatted over the phone for his interview, I was so impressed with his maturity and fresh outlook to training this season. I’m excited to share this incredible interview with you.

We hope you enjoy this issue of Figure Skater Fitness.

Good luck competing!

Signe Ronka BA, CSCS, PTS, NCCP3 JANUARY 2016

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Figure Skater fitness

ABOUT THE WRITERS

Our Writers INJURY PREVENTION Angela Vandermissen Angela Vandermissen began skating at age 2 and skated competitively throughout college at Northern Michigan University. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Fitness Management and was the 2000 National Collegiate Figure Skating Champion.

Doug Mattis is a Master Rated PSA professional who specializes in choreography and performance quality. He was a USFS International Team member and has an MBA. He says a “give-back” component

TRAIN THE MIND Kristen Piche

Kristen is a certified Skate Canada figure skating coach and an athletic goal coach.

She graduated with a B.A. Honors in English Studies and a B.Ed in the Primary/Junior division at York University and was a primary classroom teacher for two years. Kristen was a competitive gymnast before switching to figure skating. She attained her gold tests in Freeskate, Skills, and Dance as well as her

Christina Vandermissen

Angela began her professional career with Willy Bietak Productions in Broadway on Ice. Since then, she has performed in seven different Royal Caribbean ice show productions including four original international ice casts. The last few years, Angela also added “rehearsal choreographer” to her resume with Willy Bietak.

Christina Vandermissen is a mother of 3 boys and lives in Miami. A retired skater with gold test medals in Moves in the Field and Ice Dance.

She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Education and Dance with a K-12 teaching certificate

to everything he does keeps him grounded, and ardent fund raising efforts include The USFS Memorial Fund, Skate For Hope, Figure Skating In Harlem, & The Michael Weiss Foundation. Doug is a humorist on Twitter (@Doug Mattis) & Instagram (Sk8rMattis).

Kat Vernelli Kat Vernelli is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist currently based out of Edmonton, Alberta. She has a serious passion for holistic living and loves educating people on healthy eating and well-being. She believes in eating fresh, whole foods, cooking with real ingredients, keeping chemicals out of daily care products and doing what makes you really

Senior Competitive Pair test and competed nationally in Pair Skating.

Her background in athletics and having goal coached several athletes at varying levels influenced her to create and be the founder of www.kristenpiche.com, Carve Your Path, with the mission of inspiring athletes to overcome the psychological and emotional challenges that come with being in a competitive sport.

SKATERS CORNER Pj Kwong has worn many hats professionally, starting with 25 + years coaching figure skating. She can be found beyond the boards as a well-respected writer, broadcaster and social

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Signe is a certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength & Conditioning Association. She is also a certified Personal Trainer Specialist. Signe has an honours Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Toronto (Trinity College), where she specialized in

and did her graduate work at the University of Miami in Sports Medicine at the School of Education.

Christina holds current certifications with NASM, FMS, and continually looks for ways to give back to the beautiful sport of figure skating. She also has a USFSA judging appointment.

NUTRITION INSIDER Dr. Angelica Kada, ND Angelica is a licensed naturopathic doctor (BDDT-N) and a member of the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND). She received her Naturopathic accreditation at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and her honours degree in Kinesiology and Health Science at York University.

NUTRITION INSIDER

GLAMOUR PJ KWONG

Signe Ronka, CSCS, PTS, BA, NCCP 3

INJURY PREVENTION

SKATERS CORNER Doug Mattis

FITNESS INSIDER WORKOUTS

media correspondent for CBC’s figure skating coverage.

This self-proclaimed WordBroker published her first book in 2010 and will be one of the PA voices at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, her 7th Games’ appearance since 2002.

Ricky Boudreau Make Up Artist After retiring from competitive skating,

Ricky enjoyed a very successful show skating career. In 2004, Ricky became a makeup artist, working with M.A.C cosmetics.

Ricky’s body of work includes the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and many Fashion runway shows including D2Squared, Oscar de la Renta, Greta Constantine and Marchesa. He has also worked abroad at New York Fashion Week doing shows for Badgley Mischka, Nanette

happy as often as possible.

As a Holistic Nutritionist she doesn’t believe in one-size fits all approach to health. What works for one person may not work for the next. Her job is to educate you on eating clean and healthy (while not being stressed) by taking small steps to get you where you want to be. You can reach Kat through her website at www.katvernellinutrition. com or send her an email at kat.vernelli@gmail.com

Lepore, Tim Coppins, MM6 Maison Martin Margiela and Jeremy Scott. He has created competition makeup looks for both Joannie Rochette and Miki Ando. He has worked with multiple celebrities and public figures such as Dame Shirley Bassey, Deborah Cox, Chantal Kreviazuk, Shawn Mendes, Kreesha Turner, Kristine W., Platinum Blonde, Jacob Hoggard, Jessi Cruickshank and Dan Levy.

psychology, political science and bioethics.

Signe is a former National and International level competitor and certified NCCP level 3 National Competitive Coach. She is the founder of Figure Skater Bootcamp Inc. and Figure Skater Fitness Magazine.

Signe has worked with Olympic/World level figure skaters, teaching them the importance of fitness training and sport specific training. She also travels internationally hosting Figure Skater Bootcamp workshops. www.flexafit.com info@flexafit.com

She maintains a family practice focused on diet and lifestyle to make long-term changes while using botanicals, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, and nutritional supplements as a temporary aid to help the body rediscover health and balance. As a former competitive figure skater with an honours degree in kinesiology and health science, Angelica can appreciate the physical demands on athletes and the importance of diet and natural medicine to help individuals feel and perform their best.

To learn more about Dr. Kada and Naturopathic medicine, visit her website at www.angelicakada.com

INJURY PREVENTION Meghan Buttle, MSc. PT, BSc.KIN, FCAMPT, CGIMS, Sport Diploma (SPD) Registered Physiotherapist Adjunct Lecturer, University of Toronto

TRAIN THE MIND

INJURY PREVENTION Dr. Bryon Weinberg BA, DC, CSCS, Acu., ART®

Chiropractor, High Point Wellness Centre Co-director of Athletic Movement Assessment Inc. Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Medical Acupuncture Provider Active Release Techniques Provider Dr. Bryon Weinberg is a graduate of the University of Hawaii where he attended on a tennis scholarship, and the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. In addition, he is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and co-founder of Athletic Movement Assessment (AMA).

As a chiropractor specializing in sports performance

at High Point Wellness Centre, Dr. Weinberg has been able to help athletes from all different sports achieve their goals through treatment, rehabilitation, and pre-habilitation programs.

Dr. Weinberg has worked with numerous amateur and professional athletes, including former top 10 world ranked tennis player Maria Kirilenko, many Toronto Argonaut players, and North American Boxing Association champion Stephan Boyd.

Please check out highpointclinic.com and athleticmovementassessment. com for more information.

SKATERS CORNER

time Nova Scotia provincial medallist in artistic skating and CFSA judge. After leaving the sport behind for ten years, he returned to passionately research and prolifically write about the sport’s unique history on his blog Skate Guard.

He loves to laugh and lives in Halifax with his overflowing bookshelves and cat Angelikah.

Ryan Stevens Ryan fell in love with figure skating in the nineties, took to the rink and became a four

Rebekah Dixon, MSc, CPC Mind-Body Performance Specialist

FITNESS INSIDER Ken Kashubara, FSFM

– Department of Physical Therapy Meghan graduated from the University of Toronto in 2005 with a Masters of Science degree in Physical Therapy.

Meghan has been practicing at The Sports Medicine Specialists in Toronto, Ontario for over 10 years where she has numerous figure skaters on her caseload from the recreational level up to the World and Olympic level. Meghan is part of the Integrated Support Team with Skate Canada and has covered various National and International events in Figure Skating, Gymnastics, Tennis and Hockey. She has been involved with skating for over 25 years as a competitor, coach and now physiotherapist and thus has an extremely high knowledge about the sport as well as the injuries sustained by these athletes. Since graduation, Meghan has completed her Advanced Diploma in Manipulative Therapy (FCAMPT), her Sport Physiotherapy Diploma and also obtained certifications in Acupuncture and Intramuscular Stimulation (Gunn IMS).

Understands Figure Skating from a Competitive Athlete and Coach Perspective.

Rebekah completed her Masters in Developmental Psychology at the University of London, in England in 2005.

Rebekah is a Certified Life Coach, Certified Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Time Line TherapyTM, and Hypnotherapy.

More recently she has created the Mind-Body Performance Coaching Program and Workshops, empowering individuals with the tools to achieve peak athletic and life performance.

Ken Kashubara is an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and is Chair of the NSCA Figure Skating Special Interest Group.

He has published over 250 health and fitness articles, a book (Brave New Workouts), and was featured in the book America’s Top Trainers Answer Your Fitness and Nutrition Questions. He also manages the YouTube channel “Fit4Sk8.”

As an athlete Ken was a full scholarship football player at the University of Pittsburgh.

He can be reached at sport_ heaven@yahoo.com

If you would like to contribute to Figure Skater Fitness, please contact us at info@figureskaterfitnessmag.com for more information.

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Figure Skater fitness

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents INJURY PREVENTION

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

FITNESS INSIDER

PAGE 8 HOW TO IMPROVE ANAEROBIC THRESHOLD ON THE ICE

WARM UP

Skip for 5 min and then start your warm up plan. You can add variation to your skipping by practicing boxer shuffle, single leg skips and double unders.

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

PATRICK CHAN THE ULTIMATE

Either walking forwards or from stand still, kick one leg straight in front of you.

Repeat on both sides 10 times.

PAGE 43 5 BREAKFAST POWER STARTS PAGE 45 NUTRITION FOR COMPETITION

TRAINING PLAN OF A CHAMPION

DYNAMIC KICK

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HIGH KNEES

NUTRITION INSIDER

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Step forward with one foot into a lunge where the front knee is in line with the ankle, the back knee hovers above the ground, both toes face the forward direction and the back is straight. Once stable, add the twist with the upper body towards the lunged leg. Repeat 10 reps on each side.

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SKIPS

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running forward, Either standing on the spot or at a fast switch lift the knees up to 90 degrees alternating sides. pace. Repeat 40 high knees

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Either standing still or covering distance, swing the free-leg back and then forward up to 90 degrees. The arms will follow back with the free-leg and then swing through jumping up into the air. Repeat 10 times on each side.

OCTOBER 2015

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15 BY: REBEKAH DIXON

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mental eter Jensen, renowned for performance consultant e athletes, said “the differenc or not podium the between getting on I have what , is 90% mental” however the spend skaters observed is that their majority of their time training Do we really bodies on and off the ice. our thoughts? understand the power of create our they things, are s Thought create our feelings and our feelings how we perform behavior and ultimately s are in on the ice. When our thought ance goals, perform our with nt alignme our goals is the potential to achieve helps us bring training Mental greater. s and from awareness to our thought to work for there we can train our minds us. us, as opposed to against

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GLAMOUR

r mind in today to start training you 3 tools you can implement tion include: peti com for ion arat prep

TRAIN THE MIND

PAGE 34 HOW TO HANDLE COMPETITION JITTERS

me (PFPS) is an Patellofemoral Pain Syndro pain typically located umbrella term for knee kneecap. This pathology around and under the nces around imbala muscle is generally due to hanical alignment the kneecap and biomec irritation to the tissues issues, which both cause with PFPS will skater A . patella surrounding the anterior part of the knee, experience pain in the the kneecap, that is likely either around or under g, and going jumpin , running with exacerbated a common pathology in up or down stairs. It is s that have increased growing athletes or athlete The treatment for g. trainin their of ty the intensi the alignment issues PFPS involves correcting by stretching tight and muscle imbalances tensor fascia latae/ muscles (quadriceps and thening weak ones streng and band) l iliotibia is). muscles, vastus medial (gluteal muscles, core may be necessary to initially ation modific Activity to start the appropriate order in pain the settle to reposition the bracing and Taping es. exercis se pain and help with patella can help decrea muscle retraining. proper positioning during JANUARY 2016

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INJURY PREVENTION

COMMON INJURIES SEEN IN FIGURE SKATERS

GLAMOUR

Figure Skater fitness

2015 FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER

PAGE 32 WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR COMPETITORS AFFECTS YOU

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defined as the breakdown Patellar tendinopathy is repetitive jumping. The of the patellar tendon from the quadriceps complex patellar tendon is part of p to the lower leg. A kneeca and it attaches the likely experience pain will sis skater with this diagno lly at the attachment in the patellar tendon especia ), which is aggravated (patella just below the kneecap this pathology involves for nt treatme by jumping. The sing the amount activity modification (decrea for tendon healing. of jumping passes) to allow quadriceps, weak tight as such factors Contributing s and foot alignment also gluteal and core muscle ric strengthening of need to be addressed. Eccent component to the ary necess a is eps the quadric will help to rebuild the treatment protocol as this tendon strap (brace) patellar tendon. A patellar modalities may help to as well as the use of pain acute stage and while more the in pain reduce d. resume being is training

PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME:

Figure Skater fitness

TRAIN THE MIND SKIPS

be avoided Most overuse injuries can careers. As prevention elements earlier in their with education about injury d jumps and es as well such, the more advance and smart training strategi programs. being introduced at a time off-ice are d skills designe come as properly and ll sports at a certain level , there is a body is still developing the research when the to g Accordin re. Unfortunately, with their fair share of injuries. injuries the skeleton is immatu t. higher proportion of overuse of Figure skating is no differen (men and lead to an increase in number skaters has this singles by d sustaine injury from seen in skaters.

Being sidelined with an dancers and musculoskeletal injuries women) whereas with ice what got me d by figure skating is actually are more 2 types of injuries sustaine are injuries There acute skaters, so pair on I am injuries interested in the professi y injuries are skaters. Acute injuries are extremit figure Lower . skaters common Figure traumatic passionate about today. upper body that occur because of a also more common than sm and grace on a jump or must portray both athletici common mechanism such as a fall injuries. Some of the most to achieve a sudden onset on the ice. They are required are throw in pairs and cause injuries seen in figure skaters strength, power, sustain overuse a fine balance between summary is based on of pain. Skaters can also This below. skaters listed Figure that develop flexibility and endurance. articles examining the injuries, which are injuries research to several envelope the e stress. Overuse are constantly pushing overtime from repetitiv injuries in figure skaters of ce and lly prevalen technica by strength progress the sport both frequently injuries can be caused as well as what I see most more time on ry flexibility, artistically. This requires tions and in deficits, a lack of necessa treating skaters at competi in intensity in or cool downs, the ice and an increase inappropriate warm-up more than the clinic. poor nutrition. the gym. Skaters are training fatigue, overtraining and difficult more on ever and are working WRITTEN BY MEGHAN BUTTLE

a little different- I Patrick: My approach is body and I’m believe in listening to my needs when able to gauge what my body but it is always it needs it. There is a plan on how I feel. open to be modified based nt part is havI think the most importa with my coach ing open communication trainer, and alKathy Johnson and my how I feel and ways informing each other example, if I’m making adjustments. For then instead of tired, if I didn’t sleep well, , my trainer grinding me through a workout minutes or walk will have me bike for 30 . at a high incline for 45 minutes

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LUNGE TWIST

PATELLAR TENDINOPATHY JUMPER’S KNEE

(FSF): You took 1) Figure Skater Fitness did you a year off competitive skating, for your return? have a periodization plan

FITNESS INSIDER WORKOUTS

figure Warming up is essential for all activate skaters to prevent injuries and practice or the muscles to get ready for exercises competition. The following 5 in an existare suggested to be included ing warm up plan.

S SEEN IN FIGURE SKATER

chamatrick Chan, 3 time World t pion, Olympic silver medalis Fitness talks with Figure Skater come to takes it about what taking after skating tive back to competi off. Leading up to the 2014/2015 season Canada Inhis first major event, Skate shared his ternational in October, Patrick approach to mental and fitness, nutrition skating. competitive

PAGE 12 FITNESS INSIDER FIGURE SKATER BOOTCAMP REACH NEW HEIGHTS! SKIPPING

Figure Skater fitness

HOT TOPICTHE SKATER’S FASCIA

TR OF A CHAMPION P

PAGE 10 CORE EXERCISES AND WHAT THEY MEAN TO FIGURE SKATERS

Figure Skater fitness

PAGE 36 INJURY

PATRICK CHATNE MA I T L THAIENINU G PLAN

Figure Skater fitness

INJURY PREVENTION

1 Engaging in Visualization

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Fully Connecting to the Performance

Changing your “Story” from Negative to Positive

MAKEUP FOR ANNA MACKENZIE AND PASCALE SAM-FOH

put the brush because where you first strongest down, you will have the then move deposit of colour. You can there and blend the colour around from it. In this case, I it out to where you want the crease blended the brown up above of the eye and a little past the outside will help lift then lifting the end. This also help to the outside of the eye and elongate. was used A waterproof gel eye liner and next as it very easy to apply an angled brush, manipulate. I like using eyeliner brush but any sort of pointed l and will work. Brushes are persona work best for you will find the ones that I created a you. Practice makes perfect. brown colour winged liner using a deep produce a to help define the eye and softer look. with a Lashes should be curled mascara. lash curler, before adding a good idea, in Waterproof mascara is . A light layer case eyes start watering the mascara was applied by wiggling lashes and wand at the root of the of the lash. pulling through to the end fuller and appear This will make lashes

Ricky’s tips! a lip Layering lasts longer! Using in the lips pencil to outline and fill in place. will help a lip colour stay your Primers are “velcro” for for makeup. You can buy primers eyes and every feature, lips, skin, lashes. in light Always do your makeup and sheer layers, easier to control build.

They are Brushes are paramount! the the tools to help you create essential looks that you want. An foundation brush kit should have a angled brush, powder brush, an brush brush a fluffy brush, a firm and lastly, a lip brush. is very Taking care of your brushes brush a in important, so invest brushes. cleaner and maintain your ensure will Cleaning your brushes as well as that they always perform you do!

thicker. a vibrant To finish off the look, I used to apply right pink lip colour. It’s easy lip brush. Using out of the tube or use a how control to you a lip brush allows as well as much colour you are applying Matte textures play with the intensity. added for and lips the on last longer or lip balm moisture, a tiny bit of gloss can be added on top.

Engaging in Visualization that controls region of the motor cortex that Harvard research has shown the physical mental training can change Harvard Medical structure of the brain. cortex in the School observed the motor rs. One voluntee of groups brains of 2 practice playing group was instructed to exercise for a little five finger piano a 5 day period, 2 hours each day over only allowed while the other group were piano exercise. to imagine playing the that the What was remarkable was

you do it is a practice, so the more . Once you the better at it you become EXPANDED this then the piano-playing fingers become comfortable doing IMAGINED e either a timer or play in the brains of those who introduc can you ng. as it had in PLAYING the music, just program music while visualizi your This IT! even more realistic those who ACTUALLY PLAYED and This creates an tion visualiza of ng and is very illustrates the power experience when visualizi tool.[i] ness directly how it can be a highly effective ance helpful to combat nervous perform music the your for with tion solo your In prepara related to doing 10 minutes each at competition, spend playing. completing day visualizing yourself Visualization your perfect program.

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TO IMPROVE YOUR MEN28 3TALTOOLS GAME BEFORE COMPETITION TRAIN THE MIND

PAGE 50 Anna

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GLAMOUR

STEPS TO THE PERFECT COMPETITION LOOK JANUARY 2016

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Figure Skater fitness

FITNESS INSIDER

BY KEN KASHUBARA

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actate is produced in the muscles during exercise. The cardiovascular system clears most of the lactate out of the muscles during the course of low intensity exercise. As the intensity of exercise increases, lactate creation increases as well. The point at which lactate production is faster than the rate of clearing is called the Anaerobic Threshold (also known as lactate threshold).

A high anaerobic threshold means that an athlete can maintain their speed and power at high levels of exercise intensity. Figure skaters should focus on increasing anaerobic threshold during the preseason and in-season. The following tasks can be accomplished on the ice.

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KILL DRILLS Kill drills can be anything a coach comes up with, as long as the athlete is out of breath at the end of the drill. Power stroke laps clockwise and counter-clockwise, using forward and backwards crossovers. Work at high intensity for approximately ninety seconds, skate slowly for ninety seconds, and then repeat.

Complete four sets of this, take five minutes rest after the conclusion of the fourth work period, and then repeat.

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SUCCESSIVE JUMPS Successive jumps and/or jump combinations can be included during power stroking or a drill in itself. The athlete can begin power stroking laps. Perform specific jumps and/or jump combinations at each end of the rink. A coach may also instruct the skater to complete “X” amount of jumps in “X” time.

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SUICIDE RUNS (AKA LADDERS) The ladder drill is a great way to increase anaerobic threshold in figure skaters. The athlete begins at the goal line. Upon a cue, the athlete skates to the near blue line, returns to the goal line, then to the center line, return to goal line, then to opposite blue line, return to goal line, and lastly skates to the opposite goal line, and back to the initial goal line. The time of completion will vary based on the athlete’s age and skating level. The goal is to increase skating performance. A high anaerobic threshold is an important aspect of figure skating success. If you are an athlete, don’t hold back during the drills. You are supposed to be out of breath. If you are a coach, make sure the skater works hard, but be careful not to overwork them.

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Figure Skater fitness

BY: DR. BRYON WEINBERG

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conomist John Kenneth Galbraith stated, “common wisdom is generally neither common nor wise.”

I have been in too many gyms and rehab facilities to know this to be true when it comes to core training.

There are many misconceptions about core training. To understand what core training truly is, one must first answer what constitutes the core and then what is the function of the core with how it relates to training and the transferability over to figure skating.

Without getting too technical, picture the core as a canister. There is the front, sides, back, top, and bottom. All of these

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FITNESS INSIDER

dimensions need to be working in perfect harmony in order to perform what is asked and required to prevent energy leaks and micro-spinal buckling.

The top of the canister is composed of the diaphragm, while the bottom is composed of the pelvic floor. The front is the rectus abdominis, where the sides are the oblique’s. At the back, we have numerous muscles, including the erector spinae and transversospinalis group.

Another large core muscle that needs to be taken into account is the latissimus dorsi.

So now that we have a quick understanding of what constitutes the core, we can answer the question, what

is the function of the core? The core functions in figure skating, and in most sports for that matter, as a conduit to transfer energy. The core must be rigid and stiff to transfer the energy from the ground/ice up. Without this stiffened core, there would be a major energy leak and all the propulsion generated from the lower body would go to waste. But, that is not all the core does. It also acts to resist motion. This means that it prevents the skater from over rotating, over flexing, over extending, and over lateral flexing. If this is the function of the core, than

maybe it is time to start training the core with this specific intent. Let’s maybe consider performing less flexing, twisting, and extending core exercises, which really does not mimic the function of the core.

Not only do these exercises not take into consideration what the core functions is, but it also has been shown that exercises like full sit-ups and medicine ball twists may increase the risk for certain spine injuries, including disc herniations, especially in the younger populations. But this topic is for another article.

Three great core exercises that take into consideration the function of the core in how it relates to figure skating, are the Pallof Press, the Dead Bug, and the Bird Dog. Not only do these exercises have great names, but they also train the core in a relatively spine sparing manner.

To perform the Pallof Press, stand perpendicular to a cable machine or to the pull of a rubber band. Bring the cable or band out to chest level and press out until the elbows are straight, breath in and out while maintaining core contraction, and then return the hands to the chest. Once the prescribed number of repetitions are complete, face the other way. This exercise is great for resisting rotational forces.

To perform the Dead Bug, lay on your back with your hips and knees bent to 90 degrees and your shoulders flexed to 90 degrees as well. Attain and maintain a neutral spine and then brace the core and breath. Next, bring the opposite arm and leg down slowly and stop just before figureskaterfitnessmag.com

they touch the ground. Breath in and out while maintaining core contraction and then return to the starting position.

This sequence should then be performed on the opposite arm and leg. Perform a prescribed number of repetitions and sets.

The Bird Dog is performed in a quadruped position up on the balls of the toes with the wrists under the shoulders and the knees under the hips. Like the other two exercises, attain and maintain a neutral spine while bracing the core and breathing simultaneously. Similar to the Dead Bug, extend the opposite arm and leg simultaneously until level

with the trunk. Hold for a full respiration cycle while bracing and return to the starting position in order to raise the opposite sides arm and leg. Perform for a prescribed number of repetitions and sets.

As with any exercise, there are small technical nuances where attention needs to be paid. Please talk with your fitness coach to go over the subtleties that can make these exercises more effective.

If at any time you experience any pain or discomfort while performing these exercises, stop immediately and see a health care provider.

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FITNESS INSIDER

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igure Skater Bootcamp (FSBC) provides sport specific training using proper muscle activation and energy systems to achieve specific on ice goals. FSBC fosters athletic development, prevents injuries and maximizes efficient use of on ice training time. It is based on the Flexafit method of training, which incorporates strength & conditioning, balance & coordination and flexibility & mobility.

Training all three areas will develop a packaged skater ready to bring their best performance on the ice.

Figure Skater Bootcamp has developed four different circuits of exercises for In-Season training. Warm Up exercises don’t require any equipment and can be done at home or at the rink before practice or competition. Stationery Off-Ice Jumps are great to do in order to simulate on ice rotation to improve center of axis and proper technique.

Plyometric training is used to develop the greatest amount of force in the shortest amount

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of time, which is important for skaters developing fast twitch on take offs. Finally, Balance and Stability is important in everything you do on the ice and can be beneficial to any level of skater.

Figure Skater Bootcamp is based out of Toronto, On and is run by Signe Ronka, former National & International level skater, NCCP 3 National Competitive Coach, and Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist as well as multiple certified FSBC trainers. The program is offered at her studio downtown Toronto as well as multiple skating clubs in the Greater Toronto Area, Richmond Hill, and Unionville. For more information on how you can join training with Figure Skater Bootcamp for either personalized programs, classes or workshops for you or your skating club, please contact Signe at info@flexafit.com.

Before trying these exercises, consult with a physician to make sure you are in good physical health to attempt these exercises.

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FITNESS INSIDER WORKOUTS

SKIPPING

WARM UP

3

Step forward with one foot into a lunge where the front knee is in line with the ankle, the back knee hovers above the ground, both toes face the forward direction and the back is straight. Once stable, add the twist with the upper body towards the lunged leg. Repeat 10 reps on each side.

LUNGE TWIST

Warming up is essential for all figure skaters to prevent injuries and activate the muscles to get ready for practice or competition. The following 5 exercises are suggested to be included in an existing warm up plan.

1

Skip for 5 min and then start your warm up plan. You can add variation to your skipping by practicing boxer shuffle, single leg skips and double unders.

DYNAMIC KICK

4

Either walking forwards or from stand still, kick one leg straight in front of you. Repeat on both sides 10 times.

HIGH KNEES

SKIPS

SKIPS

2

5

Either standing still or covering distance, swing the free-leg back and then forward up to 90 degrees.

The arms will follow back with the free-leg and then swing through jumping up into the air. Repeat 10 times on each side.

Either standing on the spot or running forward, lift the knees up to 90 degrees at a fast switch pace. Repeat 40 high knees alternating sides.

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Figure Skater fitness

FITNESS INSIDER WORKOUTS

STATIONERY OFF-ICE JUMPS

Practicing stationery off-ice jumps helps simulate the fast twitch needed for on ice jumping, as well as helps improve center axis of rotation and coordination. Do 1-3 sets of 10 repetitions each exercise.

SKIP WITH CROSS

ONE FOOT TWIST JUMP WITH FULL ROTATION

3

Using the same skipping motion from warm up, skip up and cross free-leg in front and add a twist. Once you

land, add a full turn and repeat. Try to do this exercise in both directions on both feet. Repeat 10 times each direction.

1

Depending on your direction of jumping, use same skip motion from the warm up and cross one leg in front to simulate the in air position. On the next skip, cross the free-leg behind to simulate the in air position.

Repeat 10 times on each leg.

TWIST JUMP WITH HALF TURN ROTATION

2

Standing on two feet, jump up and twist to the left, crossing your left foot in front of the right to simulate an in air position. Land with the feet facing back to front. Once you land, add a half turn rotation and repeat. Repeat this exercise 10 times, both directions.

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Figure Skater fitness

FITNESS INSIDER WORKOUTS

PLYOMETRICS

BOX JUMP

Plyometric training is a great way for figure skaters to increase vertical jump, as well as power development to launch into the air through the hip thrust action. Repeat all exercises in order and aim for 3 sets. Remember to start with a box that is appropriate for your skill level and height. For beginners, try to use foam boxes in order to prevent an injury from a missed jump.

If you are experiencing knee pain or any other injury, please consult with a physician before attempting these exercises. Try 1-2 sets of 10 repetitions each exercise. Take a 3 minute break between sets if you plan to do another round.

BOX JUMP + DEPTH JUMP

3

Use box jump technique to perform the first part of the box jump, once you land, hop straight into the air following through with the hips as quickly as possible. Here the focus is on power development through the hip action.

Repeat 10 times.

SINGLE LEG BOX JUMP + DEPTH JUMP

1

Starting with feet hip distance apart, swing arms back, and jump up to box (12-18�) to start. Use drop technique to land off the box, where the freeleg hangs off the box to do a step off drop. Land with feet hip distance apart, hips back, knees bend and arms out in front. Repeat 10 times.

4

Use same technique as two leg depth jump but complete on one leg.

Repeat 10 times on each leg.

SINGLE LEG BOX JUMP

2

Take off on one foot, swing arms back and hop up onto box (1218�) to start. Hop down on one leg. Make sure the landing is stable, the knee is aligned straight and slightly bent with the hips back. Repeat 10 times on each leg.

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Figure Skater fitness

FITNESS INSIDER WORKOUTS

BALANCE + STABILITY

Balance and stability are important in figure skating because of the precision it takes to complete skills on a thin blade.

Training balance and stability will increase both ankle and core strength, which will transfer nicely to the ice. Repeat all exercises for 3 sets, 30s - 1 min each.

SPIRAL STABILITY

1

Step 1: Start by holding a spiral on the floor for 30 seconds.

Step 2: Standing on a bosu ball, place foot in the middle of the bosu to balance. Stand on one foot in a one foot glide position to start. Try to hold this for 30 seconds without too much movement in the ankle.

Step 3: If your balance is good, you can move to an arabesque position.

Once stable and balanced, try to perform the spiral on the bosu. Note: If you feel like you will fall off the bosu, step off the bosu to the ground.

Do not try to fix balance by putting the other foot onto the bosu.

Simply, step off and try again. Repeat for 30s-1 min on both legs.

PLANK ON BALL

BALANCE ON WOBBLE BOARD OR HALF BALL

2

Step 1: Stand on one foot with the free-leg knee bent at 90 degrees. Try to balance for 30 seconds without falling over. Once you are comfortable try to close your eyes. Try this for 30 seconds without falling over.

Step 2: Standing on a wobble board or half ball, stand in one foot glide position.

Try to maintain balance for 30 s - 1 min.

Repeat this exercise on both legs. Once you are more advanced, try to close your eyes for added difficulty.

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3

Step 1: Starting in a plank, stabilize the body, by placing hands shoulder width apart, align the shoulders over the wrists, keep your back straight.

Step 2: Once comfortable in a plank, you can add difficulty by doing the plank with your hands on the ball.

Step 3: Final stage of difficulty is balancing in a plank with your feet on the medicine ball.

Try any of the three variations for 3 sets of 30 s -1 min.

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

PATRICK CHAN THE ULTIMATE TRAINING PLAN OF A CHAMPION P

atrick Chan, 3 time World champion, Olympic silver medalist talks with Figure Skater Fitness about what it takes to come back to competitive skating after taking the 2014/2015 season off. Leading up to his first major event, Skate Canada International in October, Patrick shared his fitness, nutrition and mental approach to competitive skating.

1) Figure Skater Fitness (FSF): You took a year off competitive skating, did you have a periodization plan for your return?

Patrick: My approach is a little different- I believe in listening to my body and I’m able to gauge what my body needs when it needs it. There is a plan but it is always open to be modified based on how I feel.

I think the most important part is having open communication with my coach Kathy Johnson and my trainer, and always informing each other how I feel and making adjustments. For example, if I’m tired, if I didn’t sleep well, then instead of grinding me through a workout, my trainer will have me bike for 30 minutes or walk at a high incline for 45 minutes.

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Figure Skater fitness 2) FSF: Do you have a general seasonal plan?

Patrick: In June, I was just coming out of tour so my weight was a bit higher than I liked. Losing weight was the priority, and we built the off ice program around that. There was more running and biking involved. Whenever I had a lifting session we tried to combine it with cardio and strength. I would do box pushes in-between my exercises or running to mix it up.

Now that I’m at the right weight it is all about maintaining it. My workouts are less intense now because I have intensified my skating training, doing more full run throughs, doing more quads, more axels (triple). We pull back on the workouts so that I don’t grind my body and now I don’t run as much. In the summer when I was running my knee starting hurting from running so I modified and immediately changed to low impact training. At the end of the day we as skaters do a lot on the ice, what you do off the ice, in my opinion is only to support what we do on the ice and be proactive to avoiding injuries.

3) FSF: Tapering before competition what do you do in the last 2 weeks before events?

Patrick: The week before competition I will not run for 30 minutes; instead I do 10-15 minute runs and lighten up on the weights when I do squats. Another thing I want to clarify is that I don’t do a lot of lifting. Leading up to competition I would focus more on explosiveness, lightening up the weight and focusing on quality over quantity.

4) FSF: What is your weekly on ice and off ice training routine?

Patrick: My weekends are off completely to keep my body healthy. That doesn’t mean I don’t do other activities; I windsurf, play golf, and tennis - I don’t shy away from other activities. Monday to Friday in the morning I go to the gym for 45 minutes to an hour just warming up before I even get on the ice. I start at

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

9:45 am and do 20 minutes running or 30 minutes bike, 6.5 miles an hour on the treadmill with a slight incline or an 8-9 intensity on the bike. This is to flush the lactic acid. Then I do active stretching and a dynamic warm up with leg kicks, quad pulls, leg pulls, lunges, h skips. After warm up, I skate three to four 45 minute sessions a day. Following skating, I do some balance and dance with Kathy for 30 minutes to an hour in the studio and then I go to the gym. That is when I do some box jumps, sprinting on the treadmill and some lifting. After everything is done I do some foam rolling and passive stretching. I take Wednesday off the gym.

I do a lot of recovery treatments including massage therapy, visits to the chiropractor and physiotherapy once a week.

5) FSF: Do you do ballet training or dance training?

Patrick : My coach was a modern dancer she studied movement at Juilliard (school for the preforming arts in NYC). What we do is personalized for each dancer, for me I don’t have a lot of turn out so we don’t push it. We do full body movement, balance exercises core work weight transfer; these are things that are easily transferable to the ice. I do dance exercises in the studio and full dance combinations. It’s full body movement and breathing work, how to breathe efficiently and with the music.

6) FSF: Is your warm up different at an event from everyday?

Patrick : Of course I’m limited by equipment, some gyms have a treadmill or a bike if not I run outside just long enough to get a sweat on. I try to keep it as close as I can to what I do at home, I do all my feel good exercises. 30-45 min 7) FSF: What do you do to warm up on the ice in training?

Patrick: I have stroking exercises that I do for 5-10 minutes and then I do my footwork sequences from both program because I find footwork is the best way to get full body movement and activate my figureskaterfitnessmag.com

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Figure Skater fitness

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

balance. It’s also a tell tail sign of how my day is going to be and how I should approach my day. Sometimes I feel really off balance in the morning and I say “OK” I’m not going to ask too much of myself today. If I’m not ready to jump yet I just walk through the set ups, especially quad and axel. It’s all prep work for the next session, then I can get on the ice and start quads and axels, I start jumping 100%.

and make competitive skating that much better. That was my motivation. One of my goals is to make my axel one of my favorite jumps and make it more consistent in competition. Kathy and I decided to start the jump from the beginning and scrap what I had before. I had to tell myself to keep an open mind and really listen to what Kathy was telling me. I couldn’t have done that unless I had taken the year off, it was a good zen moment when I just had fun. Coming back I knew my jumps would feel strange so why not start fresh and I was able to listen to Kathy and now my axel is one of my favorite jumps.

8) FSF what do you do for balance exercise?

Patrick : It’s all body work, with my eyes closed, balancing from one leg to the other. They are not gym stability exercises they are dance exercises.

12) FSF : What is your biggest challenge as a competitor?

9) FSF Tell us how your nutrition plan changed coming off of tour.

Patrick: It changes a lot from tour to competing, when I’m on tour I keep portion controls but if I have a choice between a salad and a hamburger, I choose the hamburger. When I’m competing it’s very different. It’s very, very regimented and uneventful. I always have the same thing because I don’t have the time to prepare elaborate meals and I just want to get good fuel. For breakfast, I make 2 scrambled eggs with toast or organic granola with almond milk. I have plenty of snacks high in protein during the day so I don’t crash. Things like Greek yogurt, fruits, granola bar/ Cliff bar, peanut butter and jam sandwich, these little things go a long way. For lunch I have something lighter, a salad with mixed greens or quinoa and organic meat patty or sausage.

No simple carbs, I will only have complex carbohydrates. For dinner I have the same meat protein but with both a salad and a wild rice side dish. Sometimes I have salmon with potatoes and mixed vegetables, I would cook them with olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Everything is very clean, and quick.

10) What drinks to you use to stay hydrated?

Patrick: I was doing protein shakes for a bit but that was because I was hungry at

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the end of the day. Now I’m taking more snacks and I don’t need the shake. I do an amino acid/ electrolyte powder mix with my water during the training day.

11) FSF : What was your mindset coming back to full training?

when I get to competition I just think of the points. It was a gurgling process but I believe that I have so much more to give to skating. I know that with my maturity and the experience I had in shows I can bring that to competitive skating

Patrick: My biggest challenge, and I think it is for many competitive skaters is the mental game. Everyone has to find what works for them - there is no formula.

Breathing is a big part of it but no matter what, training is what you have to count on. You can’t approach competition with confidence and calmness in your mind without being able to rely on the training that you have done. It sounds very simple but breathing is not very natural during times of high adrenaline and nervousness, so we are constantly working on and finding new ways for me to connect my breathing to my movement.

Patrick : It was really hard, there were moments when I wondered what I was doing. I would call Kathy and ask her why am I doing this? Why did I think this was a good idea? I had a great life on tour, why am I putting myself through this stress?

But that was out of frustration when I was trying to get my jumps back, mainly the quad. In show practice I would do a quad sometimes but now I need to be consistent at it and that takes a lot more effort both intellectually and physically. Those are things that take a lot of energy and you need to work them out. Kathy and I are still working them out. Every week we find new key points to add to my quad or triple axel to make it successful, so figureskaterfitnessmag.com

13) FSF : Do you have any advice to young skaters on how to deal with the stress of competition?

when I have something that doesn’t feel right, like my knee in the summer, I don’t wait until it’s bad, I go right away.

Patrick: It’s good to be nervous, it’s good to be stressed, that’s part of competing. Overcoming that is what makes the highs so high - you overcame something scary. Don’t fear being nervous or people wanting you to do well. As long as you’re putting that pressure on yourself not anyone else, that is the right kind of pressure.

Basically keep it fun, and when you get to competition and your nervous, remember how many times in a regular day of practice you land your jumps and if you have done the training that will get you through. Adrenalin is a perfectly normal and wonderful thing, it’s what makes people jump higher than ever before. Don’t think it will hinder you, it will take you beyond your abilities. The third thing I would say is keeping it light and fun off the ice. I like thinking and talking about surfing and cars, those are my hobbies and they take my mind off the pressure of how intense skating can get.

15) FSF : Do you work with any psychologists ?

14) FSF : Who is your support team and what is you’re preventive method for training?

Patrick: I have a massage once a week, chiropractor once twice a week. We do active release, not a lot of manipulation and some adjusting it’s mostly preventative maintenance. I also go to physio

Patrick : My relationship with Kathy is very unique, I have the luxury of having her work with me constantly and keeping track of my full schedule. That gives me the comfort to talk to her and share things that are bothering me, which is basically what a psychologist does. Luckily I have a relationship with a coach that knows me and has a perspective of what is going on around me, things I might not see, combined with how I feel and an open dialogue are what will make me successful. I think that is what most people who have a sport psychologist have. She covers my sport psychologist side of training.

16) FSF : What do you do to de-stress?

Patrick: Hobbies, I’m a huge car fan I tinker with cars I talk about cars with my friends. I play golf, I go surfing and in the winter I go snowboarding. Getting out and challenging my body in a different way helps me feel regenerated for the next week. But I’m smart about it and don’t take unnecessary risks.

17) FSF : What’s your favorite car?

Patrick : That is a hard one but I guess the Ferrari F40. It is the car that pioneered so many cars, it was a game changer.

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Figure Skater fitness

TRAIN THE MIND

BY: REBEKAH DIXON

P

eter Jensen, renowned mental performance consultant for athletes, said “the difference between getting on the podium or not is 90% mental” however, what I have observed is that skaters spend the majority of their time training their bodies on and off the ice. Do we really understand the power of our thoughts?

Thoughts are things, they create our feelings and our feelings create our behavior and ultimately how we perform on the ice. When our thoughts are in alignment with our performance goals, the potential to achieve our goals is greater. Mental training helps us bring awareness to our thoughts and from there we can train our minds to work for us, as opposed to against us.

1

3 tools you can implement today to start training your mind in preparation for competition include: Engaging in Visualization

2

3

Fully Connecting to the Performance

Changing your “Story” from Negative to Positive

Engaging in Visualization Harvard research has shown that mental training can change the physical structure of the brain. Harvard Medical School observed the motor cortex in the brains of 2 groups of volunteers. One group was instructed to practice playing a little five finger piano exercise for 2 hours each day over a 5 day period, while the other group were only allowed to imagine playing the piano exercise.

What was remarkable was that the

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region of the motor cortex that controls the piano-playing fingers EXPANDED in the brains of those who IMAGINED PLAYING the music, just as it had in those who ACTUALLY PLAYED IT! This illustrates the power of visualization and how it can be a highly effective tool.[i] In preparation for your performance at competition, spend 10 minutes each day visualizing yourself completing your perfect program. Visualization

is a practice, so the more you do it the better at it you become. Once you become comfortable doing this then you can introduce either a timer or play your program music while visualizing.

This creates an even more realistic experience when visualizing and is very helpful to combat nervousness directly related to doing your solo with the music playing.

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Figure Skater fitness

Fully Connecting to the Performance Can you remember performing as a young skater? Back then you probably performed without worry, seemingly carefree, and were able to completely focus on the task at hand….going out and giving it your all. You had great confidence in yourself and didn’t second-guess your ability. Competing was a fun challenge and you were not afraid to share your wins with

everyone. As you age you become more aware of what everyone else is doing relative to what you are doing. What everyone else thinks about you becomes a concern and the expectations of your coach, peers, and parents can be felt. You begin to doubt your own abilities and you start to tell yourself negative, untrue stories about what you can and cannot do.

How do we combat this?

Channel your younger performing self and recreate that focus in your performance. Reimagine that time, that skate where you were completely carefree and confident.

Remember one of those great performances from your past. Close your eyes and visualize that time: what did you see, hear, tell yourself, how did it feel? Recall all aspects of your performance, write them down and recreate these thoughts when you perform now.

Changing your “Story” from Negative to Positive Our unconscious is continuously communicating a “story” to our mind. A story that is outside of our awareness yet influences everything we do and unfortunately is often one that is negative, critical and untrue. The first step in conquering the negative stories is bringing conscious

awareness to them. Take notice when you are saying these things to yourself. Keep a journal and create a list of the negative/ untrue stories you tell yourself before, during and after skating. Once you have listed these create an opposing story, one that is positive, encouraging and truth-

NEGATIVE STORY

1 2

3

I get overwhelmed by all the things I have to do in my program My music stresses me out

That footwork is too difficult

Although we don’t always realize it, mental training plays one of the largest roles in the success of how we perform. Spend time getting to know and understand your thoughts using the ideas I have shared. Just like we need support with our physical training we also benefit

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ful. When you catch yourself telling the negative story, quickly replace it with the positive one you have written down. Practice this exercise of replacing the negative story with the positive one and eventually the positive story becomes the only story.

POSITIVE STORY

1 2

3

greatly from mental training support.

Seek out coaching from someone who specializes in athlete mental training, like myself. Combining physical and mental training is the secret to not just “hoping” you do well but guaranteeing you do well at competition. Don’t leave

I move easily and effortlessly from one element to the next I enjoy expressing myself through my music My feet move quick and with precision throughout my footwork

your performance to luck, guarantee your success…Improve Your Mental Game! [i] Sharon Begley, “The Brain: How the Brain Re-wires Itself,” Time Magazine.com, January 19, 2007, accessed November 16, 2015, figureskaterfitness.com

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TRAIN THE MIND

What you think about your

COMPETITORS AFFECTS YOU REBEKAH DIXON

M

any of you can relate to this scenario right now. You are in the midst of the competitive season, you are mentally and physically fit to perform, your goals are set and you are determined to achieve them! You are ready to go right?

What about your competitors? Have you spent anytime thinking about them lately? Perhaps you regularly skate with many of your competitors and you have the opportunity to engage with them daily. How do you treat one another in the dressing room, on the ice, at competition? When you think about them what thoughts come to mind?

Be honest!

“I hope they don’t skate a personal best” “Maybe they won’t land their double axel that day” “An injury or sickness might occur and they won’t be able to skate” “I hope they fall on that jump”

The Law of Attraction is a name given to the concept that “like attracts like” which can be interpreted as, when we focus on positive or negative thoughts we bring positive or negative experiences into our lives (Wikipedia.org). As figure skaters, if we adhere to this concept it would mean that…

FIGURESKATERFITNESS JANUARY 2016

1

When you do think about your competitors send them positive energy, gratitude ~say good luck and truly mean it! To some of us this comes more naturally and for others we have to practice sending authentic positive energy another’s way.

2

Work together and learn from one another. Ask to be grouped in a lesson with a competitor or work together outside of a lesson. There is so much to be learned from each other. Use that competitive energy to fill you with motivation not fear.

LAW OF ATTRACTION: LIKE ATTRACTS LIKE

3

Focus your energy and thoughts on your own skating and stop thinking about what everyone else is doing.

WHEN WE FOCUS ON POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS, WE BRING POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE THOUGHTS INTO OUR LIVES

4

Treat your competitors like you treat everyone else, with care and respect. We are all PEOPLE first and skaters second.

Can you imagine if all skaters, coaches, and parents could adopt this attitude and understanding and implement it, what a powerful positive space we would create in the figure skating world. There is always going to be a winner and a loser, but if we could all go out and skate our personal best on the day of competition would it really matter how we placed? Would you be more proud of yourself when you did medal? Let’s practice lifting each other up and creating a sense of community in our beautiful sport and all reap the benefits of this act.

I know that no one wants to admit these thoughts but you know that they cross your mind once or twice during the competitive season. Perhaps these thoughts and this energy is felt in the dressing room everyday at practice.

Obviously this behavior is negative and hurtful to our fellow skaters but did you know that it can also be hurtful to you?

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So what sort of thoughts about our competitors could we implement instead?

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TRAIN THE MIND

HOW TO HANDLE COMPETITION JITTERS KRISTEN PICHÉ

E

veryone experiences the jitters— nervousness before competing.

Even the champions have them when they are about to compete. Tara Lipinski once said that the night before her long program at the 1998 Olympics she almost decided not to compete. She was so nervous, upset and anxious that she actually thought about pulling out of the competition. It’s a Good thing she didn’t let her nerves get the best of her.

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as that person.” Observe how it makes and emotions in order to perform at our you feel. Noticing your gremlin is what will best. allow you to change your state of mind The starting point in mastering control when it isn’t serving you well. over our nerves is being aware and Now that you’ve brought your awareness catching ourselves in the moment we feel to your gremlin you can decide what you strong emotions emerging. Awareness means noticing your negative self- are going to do about it. Ask yourself “how do I want to feel?” From this question talk or, as coach Rick Carson Peter Jensen, you can choose to do something that will calls it, your “gremlin.” It Olympic Performance Coach change your internal experience. Here’s a might be saying things talks about our ability to reframe toolkit with three simple and very useful like “you didn’t practice our circumstances to develop a strategies: hard enough” or “your STRATEGIE#1: more optimistic mindset. We may jumps aren’t as good not be able to choose the situations REFRAMING that we find ourselves in but we can choose the way we perceive them.

Find reasons why the stressful situation STRATEGIE#2: could actually be motivating or helpful. The VISUALIZE frame of a picture draws attention to certain aspects of it; so reframing is YOUR IDEAL Close your eyes and imagine a great way to shift our negative OUTCOME your performance from beginning thoughts into more to end, exactly the way you want to positives ones. execute it. Most importantly, picture the end result that you really want to experience such as coming to your finishing pose with conviction, the audience clapping, and the judges smiling.

This will send a message to your body that you are capable of delivering your best program.

Visualization propels a belief and trust in It is absolutely what you can accomplish. impossible to achieve success without first struggling.

Think about every top athlete or performer you admire. Did any of them get to where they are seamlessly, without facing any challenges? Every single one of them has been through numerous stressful situations before accomplishing their ultimate goals. So choose strengthened the same way Feeling nervous is a part of to accept and feel the struggle you are dealing competing and those who deal as physical fitness, through with. Often this simple act of embracing the training and practice with with their nerves effectively stress will be enough for our bodies to relax strategic planning and goal are the ones who will pull and figure out naturally how to use and setting. Confidence in your through and perform at their work with our fears rather than ability to perform well starts best. Everyone is capable of against them. from within, an awareness of this. It isn’t always easy to how you feel and of how you do; otherwise everyone would want to feel. From there you be skating clean at every can change your outcome, you competition all the time. can change your destiny.

This mental fitness can be The next day, Tara was crowned the youngest Olympic champion in history.

Top skaters just figure out how to deal with those nervous feelings effectively. We are all capable of learning the skills that allow us to handle our thoughts

STRATEGIE #3: CHOOSE THE STRUGGLE

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Figure Skater fitness

INJURY PREVENTION

WRITTEN BY CHRISTINA VANDERMISSEN AND ANGELA VANDERMISSEN

What is fascia?

L

ike any athlete, skaters must stay up to date with progress in the medical world and the latest in health and training research. Did you know you have a web of tissue millimeters beneath your skin?

A very important web that facilitates your spiral, axel, and flying camel? This web of tissues is a current hot topic amongst orthopedists, trainers, and therapists. It is called the fascial system. These communities took notice in 2007 when Harvard Medical School held the first International Fascia Research Congress. Since then, many athletes realized that fascia plays a major role in every movement they make and every injury they sustain.

Your 600 muscles and 206 bones are encased in a full sheath, web, or wrapping. But this wrapping is also a sensory organ. It can contract, respond to stress, and prevent or allow movements of the body. Fascia is smooth and wet when in its healthy state and allows for a full range of movement.

When fascia is stressed or damaged, it hardens and in turn, shortens the body’s movements. This is a protective measure for the underlying muscles, bones, and organs.

The fascial system is responsive and you can prevent or reverse the damage caused from your daily training.

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How do we take care of our fascia?

1.

Hydrate. Your fascia moves your body with ease when it’s wet. As an athlete, nutrition and hydration should always be a priority. This is another reason to fill up that water bottle.

2. Keep moving and stretching. Fas-

cia that isn’t regularly moved becomes sticky and dry. Eventually, this shortens your movements. Daily full range movements keeps the fascia elastic. Skaters are generally very good at extending movement right down to their fingertips.

Keep reaching and pointing.

3. Vary the movement. Repetition

is sometimes stressful for the body.

Varying the workout and changing your patterns will benefit the fascial system.

Moving these tissues in all planes keeps it elastic and mobile. Try a new warm up.

4. Rest and listen. When your fascial system is stressed or damaged, it will tighten, harden, and even cause pain

or adhesions. Athletes should listen to their bodies. After some hard training or continued falls, nothing is more beneficial for that system than a good rest. *Remember the fascia is there to protect the underlying muscles and bones. It’s the first signal that an injury may be on the horizon. Get more sleep, take a long bath, or meditate.

5.

or massages is great for the myofascial system. If you find tightness or an adhesion in a body part, hold on that point for 30 seconds or more to accelerate blood flow and release the tissues.

6. See a massage therapist, move-

ment specialist, or fascia specialist.

These practitioners are experts in this area and can provide bodywork, programs, and education.

Foam roll. Any tool that rolls out

References : Seeger, B.(2011,April,11). Stretching 2.0 New ways to gain flexibility, improve performance, and protect against injuries.

Runners World Retrieved from: http://www.runnersworld.com/stretching/stretching-strategies figureskaterfitnessmag.com

Lucas, J.(2011,June,10). Understanding Your Fascia Fascia may be the missing piece for your lingering injury. Running Times Retrieved from: http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/understanding-your-fascia

Lucas, J.(2011,June,10). Understanding Your Fascia Fascia may be the missing piece for your lingering injury. Running Times Retrieved from: http://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/understanding-your-fascia JANUARY 2016

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INJURY PREVENTION

SEEN IN FIGURE SKATERS PATELLAR TENDINOPATHY JUMPER’S KNEE WRITTEN BY MEGHAN BUTTLE

A

ll sports at a certain level come with their fair share of injuries.

Figure skating is no different.

Being sidelined with an injury from figure skating is actually what got me interested in the profession I am so passionate about today. Figure skaters must portray both athleticism and grace on the ice. They are required to achieve a fine balance between strength, power, flexibility and endurance. Figure skaters are constantly pushing the envelope to progress the sport both technically and artistically. This requires more time on the ice and an increase in intensity in the gym. Skaters are training more than ever and are working on more difficult

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elements earlier in their careers. As such, the more advanced jumps and skills are being introduced at a time when the body is still developing and the skeleton is immature. Unfortunately, this has lead to an increase in number of musculoskeletal injuries seen in skaters.

There are 2 types of injuries sustained by figure skaters. Acute injuries are injuries that occur because of a traumatic mechanism such as a fall on a jump or throw in pairs and cause a sudden onset of pain. Skaters can also sustain overuse injuries, which are injuries that develop overtime from repetitive stress. Overuse injuries can be caused by strength deficits, a lack of necessary flexibility, inappropriate warm-up or cool downs, fatigue, overtraining and poor nutrition.

Most overuse injuries can be avoided with education about injury prevention and smart training strategies as well as properly designed off-ice programs.

According to the research, there is a higher proportion of overuse injuries sustained by singles skaters (men and women) whereas with ice dancers and pair skaters, acute injuries are more common. Lower extremity injuries are also more common than upper body injuries. Some of the most common injuries seen in figure skaters are listed below. This summary is based on several research articles examining the prevalence of injuries in figure skaters as well as what I see most frequently treating skaters at competitions and in the clinic.

Patellar tendinopathy is defined as the breakdown of the patellar tendon from repetitive jumping. The patellar tendon is part of the quadriceps complex and it attaches the kneecap to the lower leg. A skater with this diagnosis will likely experience pain in the patellar tendon especially at the attachment just below the kneecap (patella), which is aggravated by jumping. The treatment for this pathology involves activity modification (decreasing the amount of jumping passes) to allow for tendon healing.

Contributing factors such as tight quadriceps, weak gluteal and core muscles and foot alignment also need to be addressed. Eccentric strengthening of the quadriceps is a necessary component to the treatment protocol as this will help to rebuild the patellar tendon. A patellar tendon strap (brace) as well as the use of pain modalities may help to reduce pain in the more acute stage and while training is being resumed. figureskaterfitnessmag.com

PATELLOFEMORAL PAIN SYNDROME: Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS) is an umbrella term for knee pain typically located around and under the kneecap. This pathology is generally due to muscle imbalances around the kneecap and biomechanical alignment issues, which both cause irritation to the tissues surrounding the patella. A skater with PFPS will experience pain in the anterior part of the knee, either around or under the kneecap, that is likely exacerbated with running, jumping, and going up or down stairs. It is a common pathology in growing athletes or athletes that have increased the intensity of their training. The treatment for PFPS involves correcting the alignment issues and muscle imbalances by stretching tight muscles (quadriceps and tensor fascia latae/ iliotibial band) and strengthening weak ones (gluteal muscles, core muscles, vastus medialis).

Activity modification initially may be necessary to settle the pain in order to start the appropriate exercises. Taping and bracing to reposition the patella can help decrease pain and help with proper positioning during muscle retraining.

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INJURY PREVENTION

LOW BACK PATHOLOGIES: The low back is an area that skaters frequently develop pain and pathology. Skaters tend to skate in a posturally upright position and land jumps with compressive forces about 4 times greater than their body weight in an upright position. This puts more stress on the posterior elements of the spine (facet joints). This stress is accentuated with new skates because there is less shock absorption at the ankle and knee joint on jump landings due to an inability to bend from the stiffness of the boot. Elements such as layback and biellmann spins, catch leg spirals and death spirals where extension is pronounced also put more stress on the spine.

Injuries to the low back can be mild such as facet irritation from compression but without treatment can progress towards a

There are a multitude of other injuries that figure skaters can sustain; injuries are an unfortunate result of sport.

Injury prevention strategies such as those discussed in the last issue as well as proper training guidelines are crucial to try an

OSGOODSCHLATTERS: Osgood-Schlatters is defined as irritation to the attachment site of the patellar tendon on the lower leg (tibial tuberosity) in the presence of an open growth plate. It is most common in young running and jumping athletes.

Skaters with Osgood-Schlatters will likely complain of tenderness locally to the tibial tuberosity at the distal attachment of the patella tendon. Pain is generally aggravated with an increase in training intensity especially increased jumping on or off the

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ice. They may have a prominent “bump� over the tibial tuberosity due to inflammation and bony changes from the increase in stress and pull to the area.

Osgood-Schlatters will eventually heal itself once the growth plate closes. This condition is selflimiting meaning that activity can continue as long as pain is tolerated. In terms of treatment, pain modalities can be used to help reduce the amount of pain and inflammation at the site of tendon attachment. Counter-

stress fracture of posterior elements (pars interarticularis) which is classified as a spondylolysis.

Skaters with these types of injuries will generally describe an ache in the low back that is aggravated with extension movements. There may be pain to touch over the affected spinal segment or at the fracture site.

These athletes may also demonstrate an increase in the curve in their low back (lumbar lordosis).

In order to treat these pathologies, activity modification, especially limiting motions into extension, is a must. The only real treatment for this injury is rest however addressing muscles imbalances such as increasing core strength and decreasing hip flexor tightness should also be included.

force bracing with a patellar strap can help to decrease the pull of the patellar tendon on the tibial tuberosity. Strengthening any muscles that may be contributing to increased stress on the quadriceps complex and decreasing any tightness in the quadriceps will both help to decrease the amount of pull on the tibial tuberosity and therefore decrease the amount pain experienced by the skater.

minimize the effect injuries have on an athlete. When a figure skater does sustain an injury, it is important to get it addressed by a professional as soon as possible to avoid any long delays in healing and disruptions to their training.

REFERENCES: 1. Dubravcic-Simunjak S, Pecina M, Kuipers H, Moran, J, Haspl M. The Incidence of Injuries in Elite Junior Figure Skaters. Am J Sports Med. 2003;31(4): 511-517.

2. Porter E, Young C, Niedfeldt M, Gottschlich L. Sport-Specific Injuries and Medical Problems of Figure Skaters. Wisconsin Medical Journal. 2007;106(6): 330-334.

3. Lipetz J, Kruse RJ. Injuries and Special Concerns of Female Figure Skaters. Clin Sports Med. 200;19(2): 396-380.

4. Brukner P, Khan K. Clinical Sports Medicine. Third Edition. McGraw-Hill Professional. 2006.

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Figure Skater fitness

NUTRITION INSIDER

5

Breakfast Power Starts

BY KAT VERNELLI

W

ithout question breakfast is the most important meal of an athlete’s day. It’s what kick-starts the metabolism and sets the tone for a day of healthy food choices. A satisfying breakfast invests in better health than a grab- anything-in sight meal or skipping breakfast all together. The excuses to skip breakfast are

abundant, but they are just that: excuses that sabotage your sports performance.

A bigger breakfast filled with nutritious whole foods can prevent afternoon or evening sugar binges. An adequate breakfast provides enough energy for you to get through your workout feeling energized and nail that routine.

Here are some of my favourite ways to fuel the body for a high-energy day.

1

kfast Green Smoothie for Brea d easy; Smoothies are quick an ke under 5 most of the time they ta ally if the fruits minutes to make, especi ingredients are are frozen and/or all the variety of fruits pre-chopped. Adding a et ensures we and vegetables to our di e of vitamins, are getting a good rang d fiber. Plus they minerals, antioxidants an are easily digestible. mond milk, 1 Add 2 cups kale, 1 cup al avocado, 1 tbsp ripe banana, 1 apple, ½ nd flaxseed, 1 cup pure chia seeds or grou d hemp protein water or crushed ice an protein powder) powder (or your favourite til smooth. to a blender and blend un

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2

ADE QUICK AND EASY HOMEM OATMEAL th plain Great oatmeal starts wi oats cooked in a rolled oats or steel-cut milk, and topped little water or non-dairy nts. Oatmeal with wholesome ingredie ich helps you contains soluble fiber, wh contains nutrients feel fuller longer. It also rtant mineral like magnesium, an impo ep their muscles for athletes in helping ke relaxed. of regular oats, Combine about 1/3 cup eces, 1 tbsp chia 1 apple chopped into pi milk, 1 tbsp pure seeds, 1¼ cups almond of cinnamon, and maple syrup, and 1 tsp ium heat for about whisk in a pot over med n. Once the mixture 10 minutes, stirring ofte absorbed, it is thickens and the liquid is ped walnuts and ready. Sprinkle with chop more cinnamon.

NUTRITION INSIDER

3

INSTANT ENERGY MUESLI BOWL WI TH ALL THE FIXINGS This healthy and fulfilling breakfast takes just 10 minutes to prepare the night before. Muesli typically has less sug ar than store-bought cereals—and the sug ar it does contain is naturally occurring. It’s hig h in fiber and whole grains, which regulate the digestive system. The addition of nuts provid es a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

The night before take two apples; dic e one and grate the other. Place the apple s in a large bowl and add oats, almond or coconut yogurt, pumpkin seeds and dried cra nberries.

Give them a quick stir and then cov er the bowl and refrigerate overnight. The next morning add some fresh fruit, walnuts, hemp hearts, cinnamon and a little maple syrup.

4

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Understanding the Fuel Your Body Requires Diet before performance can have a significant physical and mental impact.

Your pre-competition meal is essential, however utilizing your training sessions prior to competition to identify which whole foods you can and cannot tolerate is important. This knowledge will guide you in establishing a proper diet for competition. meals to achieve optimal performance will be moderately different.

A general guide to creating balanced To support energy and recovery, every meal meals is to divide your plate into three should contain macronutrients: protein, sections: ½ vegetables, ¼ whole grains/ complex carbohydrates, and healthy fat. starches, and ¼ protein. Meals should Every athlete has his or her own unique include healthy fats, such as nuts, olive physiology. For that reason the amount oil, and avocado. The goal is to consume of each macronutrient consumed during BY: DR. ANGELICA KADA

5

OMELET IT’S A VEGGIE tart the day. s to y a w t a re Eggs are a g in, h quality prote ig h f o ll fu re a ins They ega 3s!), vitam m o u o y k n a h healthy fat (t A, vitamin D, in m a it v s a h c u and minerals s and zinc, m iu lc a c , m iu n ele vitamin B12, s -3 eggs in a 2 w ro h T . g in ll fulfi ome and are highly onut oil. Add s c o c e m o s h it e tomatoes, small pan w p ra g , h c a in p s nd/or rlic, chopped kale a ith crushed ga w p o T . n io n o and a little red have yourself a u o y d n a , a k ri p a cayenne and p no time at all. k o to t a th t s kfa satisfying brea ht before and ig n e th s le b ta vege g.

Pre-chop your p in the mornin u ip h w to r e k it’s even quic

NUTRITION FOR COMPETITION

POACHED EGGS WITH AVOCADO AND SWEET POTATO This is a favourite breakfast that I usually make on the weekend when I have more time in the morning. Sweet potatoes are a fantastic way to sneak more veggies into our diet because they are an awesome source of vitamin A (in the form of betacarotene) and vitamin C, among many other important vitamins and minerals.

Avocados are a naturally nutrient-dense food and contain nearly 20 vitamins and minerals. They are also loaded with hearthealthy monounsaturated fatty acids.

Using a mandolin slice your sweet potatoes and then lightly grease both sides of the thin slices with coconut oil. Bake them in the oven at 400°C for 30 minutes. Poached eggs are easily done in a pot of boiling water with a splash of vinegar. Once the water comes to a boil crack 2 eggs in the pot and reduce the heat to medium.

Remove eggs after 5 minutes.

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whole foods and avoid packaged and processed foods.

Using the above as a guideline, pay attention to your body to identify the amount of each macronutrient needed for optimal performance. For example, athlete #1 performs optimally with a larger consumption of complex carbohydrates (i.e., whole grain pasta) vs athlete #2, who requires more proteins and fat for better performance and lasting satiety. Symptoms such as bloating, gas, stomach pain, altered stools, headache, and low energy are indicators that you may not be tolerating certain foods.

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NUTRITION INSIDER

BENEFITS OF EACH MACRONUTRIENT Fruits & Vegetables A nutrient rich source of carbohydrates to top up energy stores before and after performance. They promote recovery as they decrease oxidative damage, inflammation, and a drop in immune function which can happen with strenuous exercise.

Whole Grains & Straches Provides quick energy for the body. When choosing grains, avoid refined carbohydrates such as white bread. These contain less nutrients and cause sugar levels to spike and crash causing a drop in energy. Check ingredient lists for the words ‘whole grain’. Examples include: whole grain spelt bread or pasta, whole oats, brown rice, barley, buckwheat, quinoa and rye.

Protein Protein is digested slower providing a sustained energy release and helping us feel satiated longer.

Protein also rebuilds and mends muscle breakdown that occurs with intense physical activity. Protein sources: meat, fish, legumes, dairy, nuts, seeds

Healthy Fats These are digested slower, helping us feel full longer and fueling energy reserves that the body can tap into during extended exercise. Including them in your pre-competition meal can help ensure you won’t feel hungry when you’re stepping on the ice.

Healthy oils in cold water fish (salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring) decrease inflammation which causes muscle soreness Walnuts, almonds and other nuts provide potent anti-oxidant support to reduce muscular damage.

MealHealthy ideas: Fats

When to eat?

Have a meal two hours prior to competition to allow time to digest and secure energy. Having a snack 30-60 minutes before is beneficial to top up energy stores, without hindering performance due to digestion. After a performance, eat within 30 minutes to supply your body with the nutrients and building blocks it needs to recover.

Breakfast: Whole/rolled oatmeal with berries, sweetened with honey or maple syrup and a boiled egg on the side If sensitive to dairy, a milk alternative such as soy or almond milk can be used to make oatmeal. Canned coconut is also delicious!

Lunch: Grilled chicken with a side salad containing fennel, cucumbers, avocado, and radishes dressed with virgin olive oil and lemon juice.

Dinner: Brown rice, salad and wild salmon topped with a salsa made of chopped tomatoes, olives, onions and parsley dressed with virgin olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice.

Snacks: Vegetables and roasted red pepper hummus Apple, banana or pear and nut butter Green bananas can be especially helpful if competition butterflies cause an upset stomach.

Plain yogurt topped with nuts, seeds and fruit. Sweeten with honey/maple syrup for some additional quick energy.

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GLAMOUR

did this here and the fabric was wrapped around the bun and elastics were used to secure. Voila, easy, neat hair for the program with an embellishment that matches the dress exactly. You can also easily head to any fabric store and bring your dress with you, so you can buy a piece of fabric that coordinates with it.

Hair for Pascale Sam-Foh It can be challenging to put hair up if it’s very thick and heavy. Start with the hair brushed into a low, side ponytail then place a hair doughnut around the base

STEPS TO THE PERFECT COMPETITION LOOK

BY RICKY BOUDREAU

H

air for competition should be neat and polished. If your program has a theme and the hair is going to be different from how you train, then I definitely recommend that you practice with the hair you are going to compete

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with; especially if you are used to having it tied back and any part of it is now going to be down. Warm up is not the time to be finding out that your hair is going to impede your vision for your program and affect your jumps and spins. I would say the same about your makeup. If you are going to be adding lashes to

your look, make sure you give yourself time to get used to wearing them by training with them on, well in advance of your competition. You be the judge of how many times or how long you are practicing this way for.

of the ponytail. Wrap the hair around the doughnut and secure with an elastic.

Take the remaining hair and split into three sections, braid each and elasticize.

Work with each piece and wrap around the base of the doughnut and secure with bobby pins. To ensure that bobby pins are not going to come out of the hair and become a potential hazard, make sure they are crossed to make an X. To jazz up the bun a little more, you could simply add some sort of hair accessory, making sure that you have skated with this in the hair before the competition.

Hair for Anna MacKenzie.

A bun is a great way to get the hair off the face and look polished.

Simply pull all the hair back into a neat ponytail and secure with an elastic. Next, twist the ponytail and wrap it around the base and secure with another elastic. If you are having your costumes made, ask your costume maker to give you a piece of fabric that was used to make the dress and that piece can be used in the hair to finish off your look. We figureskaterfitnessmag.com

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Figure Skater fitness Makeup for Anna MacKenzie With a young skater, 14 and under, the makeup should be kept very simple.

Cleansing and moisturizing are very important. This should be done daily.

Before applying makeup, always apply a moisturizer, one with a glow is really great and adds light reflection to the high planes of the face. I used MAC’s Strobe Cream.

CATEGORY GLAMOUR

For cheeks, I love using a cream blush.

It’s perfect for skaters as it looks more natural, adheres to the skin really well and mimics a naturally flushed look. You can easily pat this into the cheek area, make sure that you are doing this in light layers as it is easier to add than to remove.

Lashes should be curled with a lash curler, before adding mascara.

Waterproof mascara is a good idea, in case eyes start watering. Apply a light layer by wiggling the mascara wand

at the root of the lashes and pulling through to the end of the lash. This will make lashes appear fuller and thicker.

For lips, try using a tinted lip balm or conditioner to add a bit of colour to the lips and help ensure that lips stay moist and hydrated during the program.

With just these few simple steps, the end result is a very natural look that is subtly enhanced.

Makeup for Pascale Sam-Foh Start by using a moisturizer with a glow, for example, MAC’s Strobe cream. Use a clear brow grooming gel, to brush the brows up and out. Doing this, will help open up the space between the eye and the brow and will help keep the brows looking groomed and in place.

Lightly stipple or pat a cream blush onto the cheek.

Remember, light, sheer layers.

To keep your makeup look cohesive, use a lip and cheek colour that are in the same family. For lips that are red, pink (any shade) and even plums, use a pink blush. For a coral or peachy lip are also very fresh looking, but use a coral toned brush. Pinks and corals always look great.

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For eyes, starting with an eye primer is a great way to help the eye makeup stay on and last longer, especially when perspiring. I like using a flat brush with a synthetic bristle to spread the primer all over the lid and up to the brow bone. Flatter bristles are better at pushing around and manipulating product more effectively. Fluffier bristles make things softer and help to blend.

The next step is applying the eye shadows. Use a light colour in a matte texture will absorb light as opposed to reflecting it. Using a lighter colour under the brow will also help to lift the eye.

I then used a mid-tone brown with a sheen, for the eyelid area. I recommend starting in the centre of the lid, close to the lash line JANUARY 2016

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GLAMOUR

because where you first put the brush down, you will have the strongest deposit of colour. You can then move the colour around from there and blend it out to where you want it. In this case, I blended the brown up above the crease and a little past the outside of the eye then lifting the end. This will help lift the outside of the eye and also help to elongate.

A waterproof gel eye liner was used next as it very easy to apply and manipulate. I like using an angled brush, but any sort of pointed eyeliner brush will work. Brushes are personal and you will find the ones that work best for you. Practice makes perfect. I created a winged liner using a deep brown colour to help define the eye and produce a softer look.

Lashes should be curled with a lash curler, before adding mascara.

Waterproof mascara is a good idea, in case eyes start watering. A light layer was applied by wiggling the mascara wand at the root of the lashes and pulling through to the end of the lash.

This will make lashes appear fuller and thicker.

To finish off the look, I used a vibrant pink lip colour. It’s easy to apply right out of the tube or use a lip brush. Using a lip brush allows you to control how much colour you are applying as well as play with the intensity. Matte textures last longer on the lips and for added moisture, a tiny bit of gloss or lip balm can be added on top.

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Ricky’s tips!

Layering lasts longer! Using a lip pencil to outline and fill in the lips will help a lip colour stay in place.

Primers are “velcro” for your makeup. You can buy primers for every feature, lips, skin, eyes and lashes.

Always do your makeup in light sheer layers, easier to control and build.

Brushes are paramount! They are the tools to help you create the looks that you want. An essential brush kit should have a foundation brush, powder brush, an angled brush a fluffy brush, a firm brush and lastly, a lip brush.

Taking care of your brushes is very important, so invest in a brush cleaner and maintain your brushes.

Cleaning your brushes will ensure that they always perform as well as you do!

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CATEGORY

PJ’S SKATING GLOSSARY BY: PJ KWONG

I

am the first to admit that in order to sound like you know what’s going on around you in any specific environment, you have to know the ‘lingo’.

I was asked to produce a skating glossary on cbcsports.ca for fans who would be watching figure skating from Sochi.

There is no doubt in my mind that once you watch figure skating, an appreciation for the sport is sure to follow. I am

sharing a glossary of my own terms that you can toss around the ol’ water cooler that will make you sound like an expert:

Pj’s Skating Sayings

Translation

That landing was swish!

Hey look – they’re upright!

How about them Twizzles?

Does it really matter? Twizzles is fun to say

Their Finnstep was Fab!

A snappy toe-tapping sequence in the Short Dance

A great attempt

They fell

A great performer

They can’t jump

Sublime musicality

They can’t jump

Wonderful expression

They can’t jump

Original program concept

I don’t get it

There will be a costume deduction

You just know something snapped somewhere

There was a loss of concentration

Oh dear (may also use the substitute: uh oh)

They’re looking for a personal best

They are (unexpectedly) in 12th after the short program

Redemption is the key

Someone’s going to get a talking to before the free skate

They left it on the warm-up

They fell – a lot

The Olympics are different

I didn’t see that one coming

I hope these few phrases will have you talking skating like an expert in no time! Feel free to get back to us on Facebook with some of your own: https://www.facebook.com/Figure-Skater-Fitness-Magazine-612512668889685/timeline/

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INNOVATION, HISTORY AND YOU

BY RYAN STEVENS

H

ere’s something I can promise you.

The more educated you become about figure skating, the more you’ll grow as a competitor. This principle doesn’t just apply to learning good technique and how to interpret music, it applies to understanding the bigger picture of the sport. Being educated about skating’s history is a must for anyone and what better way to start than to learn a bit more about the jumps you’re performing.

The Axel, Salchow, Lutz and loop jumps are all named after skaters who are long gone. The Axel came from a speed skater from Norway named Axel Paulsen, the Salchow from Olympic Gold Medallist and ten time World Champion Ulrich Salchow of Sweden and the Lutz from an obscure

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Austrian skater named Alois Lutz who tragically passed away at the age of twenty. What about the loop? Was there actually a skater named Señor Loop?

Not so much. The loop was invented by three time World Silver Medallist Werner Rittberger of Germany and it is still called a Rittberger in Europe. There’s always been some healthy debate as to who invented the toe-loop and flip. It’s generally believed that the toe-loop was invented by the American professional pairs skater Bruce Mapes and that the flip was the brainchild of Canada’s Montgomery ‘Bud’ Wilson, although some sources argue that Mapes invented both jumps.

So now that you have a ‘tip of the iceberg’ idea as to who created these jumps, I bet you’re wondering what that

all means in the grand scheme of things.

These skaters were all innovators. They came up with things no one else was doing, owned them... and they stuck.

A wise man by the name of Joseph Chapman, a pioneering member of the Philadelphia Skating Club and Humane Society, once said “The sport and art of skating rises ever superior to the enthusiasts who practice it. Yet no one, however small, can fail to add something to it if he so desires.”

If you strive to innovate, to be a little different than the rest and push the envelope with something that hasn’t been done before, you will be remembered too. http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca http://www.facebook.com/SkateGuard JANUARY 2016

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SKATER’S CORNER

PERFORMANCE ENHANCING NERVES

BY DOUG MATTIS

A

t my second competition (I was ten), while pacing around waiting for my warm-up, it struck me. “I’m nervous,” I announced with newfound realization, my eyes glazed over like a Krispy Kreme. “No, you’re not,” my first coach’s cheery announced a bit too quick, a bit too cheery.

It was the first time I was trying my new axel; the prospect of missing it was both risk and reward. “No,” I said slowly, taking inventory of what my body felt like, while looking down at my gray onesie (stretch-cotton with my monogram on the pocket-- Mom made it; it was beautiful), “I’m nervous,” I gently insisted.

“Nope! You’re just excited! Not nervous.”

I slowly nodded and looked at her like she was a 3-D pop-up manual for SafeSport Guidelines. Denial had entered my skating life.

Years later, my coach Frank Carroll said to me, “You seem so concerned about everyone else? How about if we decided what’s of value for your list of goals?

How about if when you skate off the ice, you’re proud of yourself no matter what because you’ve achieved the goals we set for you?”

This approach set up my core values for being a competitive coach. What I teach now is that we need a new definition of risk and personal achievement. We need a new definition of what we used to call “failure.” Success is the achievement of goals, goals that are within our control.

Winning is ultimately not something we can control. That sounds easy, right?

Of course we’re hoping those goals that my student and I set are going to compete well with a podium standard.

Our value takes precedent, while we’ve set our standards to relate to what is hopefully going to do well in a particular competition. What if a skater skates their

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best and gets 5th? Pursuing placement becomes a incremental “raising of the bar” throughout a season where personal achievement grows. The coach and skater decide the risks, and the art of skating for oneself is born.

Nerves that are associated with risk become flavored with challenge. Goals like “I must win,” create debilitating nerves. Goals like “Let’s see if I can get that double salchow to land with flow,” are challenging. “Failure,” then, shifts from “I’m terrible,” or “they don’t like me,” to a conversation about why something didn’t go well and what the steps are to getting it right the next time.

When I was on the U.S. International Team, I competed in Hungary and my top competitor was Brian Orser. Ya know World Champ, Olympic star...Mr. Triple Axel.

Yah, that guy. During the short program, Brian skated first in that last group, I skated third. After warm up I was back in the tunnel, tuning out everything but MY personal job and set of goals. I was listening to my Walkman, the cassette tape was playing “Relax”

by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. Suddenly the tape ran out and snapped off and for a moment I could hear Brian’s marks.

the tape over muttering expletives. I pressed play, shutting my eyes and saying over and over, “Relax relax relax relax relax relax...!” Like a crazy person.

I opened my eyes and saw Brian looking at me curiously. “Oh, hi, Brian....umm.... how’d ya skate?” I said, acting casual.

Brian smiled broadly and said, “Pretty good.”

I smiled back, and my nerves? I could handle them. In the end second place was my victory, and to this day it still feels like “Chariots Of-Fire meets Hoosiers and Rudy.”

Figure Skaters Talk CHARLOTTE DOMINY AGE 10

1) What do you do the night before comp to prepare yourself?

The night before a competition I try to vision myself doing well. Then I listen to the music of my routine and go over the steps. Then I do a little bit of off ice work. I usually go to bed early.

2) How do you stay focused at a competition?

Staying focused is really easy if you have been to a competition before. I usually think that I am preforming in the world championships for my favorite figure skaters. That will make you want to do well.

3) What do you like best about competing?

What do you do the night before comp to prepare yourself?

The night before a competition I try to relax and get lots of rest.

To prepare myself, I run through my program in my mind imagining I am at a competition performing my best over and over.

How do you stay focused at a competition?

1

4) What’s more important your performance or your placing? Why? I say the performance; it doesn’t matter where you place. You should be happy with the stunning eye catching performance you did. I say the performance is important because you can learn from it and it is simply fun and an amazing feeling to be on the ice. Sometimes you will have a great performance but won’t come in the place you wanted to be in. Yes, you probably wanted that gold metal but you had fun at least!

2

At competitions I make sure that I am confident and that I will try my best.

I don’t let anything distract me, I only think about my performance and not what anybody else thinks.

ALICE GOLDEN

“6.0....6.0....5.9....6.0...”

Competing makes us learn from our mistakes and get better. It always feels good to place high but the best thing is learning from it.

What’s more important your performance or your placing?

Why?

AGE 13

I freaked out, flipped figureskaterfitnessmag.com

JANUARY 2016

What do you like best about competing?

3

The best thing I like about competing, is just getting out there and performing my best while everyone cheers me on.

4

I think my performance is most important.

I have to know that I skated my best and whatever the placing is does not matter. No matter what place I get, I know that I I have tried my hardest and getting a medal is just an extra reward

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

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Figure Skater fitness

CATEGORY

AXEL MACKENZIE AGE 11

1) What do you do the night before comp?

I make sure I eat a big and healthy dinner, I make sure I have packed my bags with everything I need (including skates, costumes and music). Then I go to bed early so I can get a long, good night sleep.

2) How do you stay focused at a competition?

I listen to my music and walk through my program before I step on to the ice. I don’t watch the people in front of me because if they do really well and I don’t think I can beat the person I might lose focus and not do as well as you could have.

3) What do you like best about competing?

I really like the feeling when you know you did well and got high scores.

4) What’s more important, your placing or your performance?

Your performance is more important than your placing because if you performed poorly and every else performed poorly you might come first but you might not be very proud of your self, but if you did your personal best and didn’t come first at least you got a new personal best and you can be proud of what you did.

REID MACFARLANE AGE 16

1

What do you do the night before comp to prepare yourself?

2

I like to have a healthy dinner, and sit around and relax. It’s mostly important for me to try and go to bed early, so I can have as much energy for the next day.

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FIGURESKATERFITNESS JANUARY 2016

How do you stay focused at a competition?

I try to block out all of the last minute stress and frenzy. I just set my mind to performing my freeskate, and focus on the advice given to me by my coach.

3

4 What do you like best about competing?

I like the thrill I experience when I’m out skating. With adrenaline pumping, there’s nothing that can describe the energy and enthusiasm one feels out on the ice. I also like to share this experience with my dance partner. We place our trust in each other and together tackle the challenge.

What’s more important, your performance or your placing?

Why?

My performance is definitely more important. As long as I know that I tried my absolute hardest, I feel very happy that I put my best foot forward.

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

JANUARY 2016

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

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Figure Skater fitness

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