Figure Skater Fitness OCTOBER 2015 - FIRST ISSUE

A SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO SPORT SPECIFIC TRAINING

M AGAZ INE VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 1 • OCT 2015

THE BEST MIND TRAINING TIPS

3

EXERCISES TO IMPROVE YOUR FLYING SIT SPIN

Signe Ronka

ON WHAT FITNESS TRAINING MEANS TO HER

DO AT HOME CORE WORKOUT FOR SKATERS

SIMPLE WAYS TO A STRONG IS TH BODY FOR N SEASO www.figureskaterfitnessmag.com

Figure Skater fitness

NOTE FROM PUBLISHER

MAGAZINE

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO FIGURE SKATER FITNESS! PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Signe Ronka CREATIVE DIRECTOR Dawn Drummond-Hill CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Angela Ronka CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Christian Bonin Jessey Dell Three Valleys Studios WRITERS Dr. Bryon Weinberg Meghan Buttle Signe Ronka Patty Cranston Martha Weizman Rebekah Dixon Angelica Kada Amy Lau Stephen Yam DESIGN/LAYOUT Envinion

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

LET’S START THE SEASON WITH A 3.0 GRADE OF EXECUTION! B

ecoming the Olympic/World champion takes hard work, perseverance and dedication. It does not happen over night, which is why we are here to help. In each issue our experts will help you set your goals, train your mind, train your body properly off the ice, and get the right tips on nutrition and injury prevention. Most of all, we are here to provide you with the knowledge of everything you need to know about what it takes to succeed when you step off the ice. It takes more than on ice training to become a champion.

Each of our editions will be packed with advice, tips and scientifically backed research on fitness training, injury prevention, training the mind, nutrition and glamour.

We will also include excerpts from current and former figure skaters all over the world who give us their side of the story.

We want to welcome you to the official start of the new season of training. This edition we will teach you how to condition, build endurance and set goals for the new season ahead.

We have also included a Figure Skaters Talk section, where skaters of all levels will discuss every day figure skating topics.

Our Glamour section will feature two skaters in different age groups, where we will break down step by step tips on how to do hair and make-up for a tango theme solo.

We hope you enjoy our very first edition of Figure Skater Fitness.

Let’s start training!

Signe Ronka BA, CSCS, PTS, NCCP3

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

3

Figure Skater fitness

ABOUT THE WRITERS

Our Writers 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 international hosting Figure Skater Bootcamp workshops.

CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES

FIGURE SKATER FITNESS/ INJURY PREVENTION

Section: Injury Prevention Article Name: Maximizing Injury Prevention Section: Fitness Insider Article: SPORT SPECIFIC TRAINING: ENERGY SYSTEMS & MUSCLE ACTIVATION

Signe Ronka, CSCS, PTS, BA, NCCP 3

Section: Fitness Insider Article: 10 Reasons You May Be Overtraining

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 psychology, political science and bioethics.

Signe is a former National and International level competitor and certified

Section: Fitness Insider Article: Injury Prevention- 12 PAK Warm Up vs Figure Skater Bootcamp Warm Up

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

4

Section: Fitness Insider Article: 15 min High Intensity Heart Rate Booster Flying Sit Spin Exercises Strong Figure Skater Core Improve Your Splits

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

and Health Science at York University.

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

CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES Section: Nutrition Insider Article: Hydration Guidelines Section: Recipes Article: Homemade electrolyte drink recipe

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

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).

Rebekah Dixon, MSc, CPC Mind-Body Performance Specialist Rebekah understands Figure Skating from a Competitive

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

Amy Lau is a professional Make-up Artist. She received her Makeup Certificate with Honours from Canadian Beauty College in 2013.

She has over 5 years of experience with beauty makeup applications, skincare, and beauty product knowledge.

She is also experienced in basic hairstyling, eyelash extensions, and manicures.

Amy Lau is also passionate about figure skating and fitness. She skates for fun on the side and has done make up and hair for multiple varsity skating teams.

CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES

GLAMOUR

Section: Glamour Article: Let’s Tango- Hair and Make-Up

AMY LAU

STEPHEN YAM CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES Section: Recipes Article: Asian Glazed Pork Loin with Zucchini Gratin and Quinoa Pilaf

CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES Section: Injury Prevention

Section: Recipes Article: Mango and Coconut Water Smoothie

Article Name: What you need to know about injury management

Section: Recipes Article: Western Omelet and Sweet Potato Hash

CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES Section: Injury Prevention Article Name: Injury Prevention & Management

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.

TRAIN THE MIND

INJURY PREVENTION

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.

CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES Section: Train The Mind Article: Setting Goals and Maintaining the Motivation to Achieve Section: Train the Mind Article: Breaking the Habit of Popping Jumps

her ballet classes, ballroom styling and her unique Deep Flow Stretch classes have been in high demand.

Martha is a private coach to many top athletes, improving their performance in sport. Martha is affiliated and certified with: IDEA International Dance Exercise Association RAD Royal Academy of Dance CDTA Canadian Dance Teachers Association FOLP Fitness Ontario Leadership Program CANFITPRO ISD International Standard Dance Gold Level

FITNESS INSIDER MARTHA WEIZMAN

Martha formerly trained with the National Ballet of Canada and continued her dance career with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. After many years her career began to shift to ballroom dancing and is now a competitor of dancesport.

Having taught in many studios and fitness facilities in Toronto

SKATERS CORNER CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES Section: Fitness Insider Article: Why figure skaters need ballet training Section: Fitness Insider Article: Why stretching is important for figure skaters

PATTY CRANSTON

With over 35 years of skating experience, PATTY CRANSTON is a figure skating champion, coach and choreographer and the author of bestselling children’s book Magic on Ice. Off the ice, she is a marathon runner, yogi and hiking enthusiast with a keen interest and expertise in all areas

of health and wellness, including nutrition, fitness and stress management. She lives in Toronto, where she is a devoted wife, proud mother and grandmother. You will still find Cranston on the ice enthusiastically passing on the art of ‘beautiful skating’ to the next generation.

CONTRIBUTING ARTICLES Section: Skaters Corner Article: Talent- It’s not the gift it’s the grit that counts

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

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

5

Figure Skater fitness

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents NUTRITION INSIDER

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

FITNESS INSIDER

PAGE 8 SPORT SPECIFIC TRAINING: Energy Systems & Muscle Activation

Figure Skater fitness Figure Skater Fitness (FSF): Tell us about your skating career and your greatest accomplishments in the sport. when I Signe: I started skating at East was 8.5 years old in 1996 ON. In York Skating Club in Toronto, Cricket 1998, I joined the Toronto to train Club Curling and Skating Burka. with Ellen Burka and Petra I was landBy the time I turned 12, In 2001, ing all of my triple jumps.

Ladies I was the Canadian Junior 13. Right Bronze Medalist at age I switched year, after Nationals that Club. I Granite the at train clubs to Grand Prix went to multiple Junior few (JGP) events over the next JGP ciryears. My first year on the my events in cuit, I medalled at both qualified me France and Italy, which Finals in to the Junior Grand Prix my bigHolland. This was probably I remember gest accomplishment.

I were in my coach Mrs. Burka and not only tears celebrating because

to ever was I the second Canadian going to make the JGP finals, it was It was be held in her home country.

From there a very special moment. in Czech I went to Junior Worlds Republic.

FSF: What did you do after competitive skating?

16, everySigne: When I turned skating. thing changed with my , and my My body started changing ent jumps became more inconsist startand that’s when the injuries career in ed piling on. I ended my at Na2006, with a top 10 finish it me For tionals in Senior Ladies. end to my was a really depressing feeling competitive career. I left the level of like I had never reached I was at a competition I wanted to.

18. It was crossroad when I turned that a tough decision, but I decided and start a I wanted to go to school different life.

PAGE 31 Hydration Guidelines and a Homemade Electrolyte Drink Recipe

TURNING PASSION INTO A CAREitEiveR From a compet essful skater to a succ business woman

essSet yourself up for succ tools give yourself the right to accomplish your goals

RECIPES

Food

Figure Skater fitness

ASIAN GLAZED PORK LOIN WITH ZUCCINI GRATIN AND QUINOA PILAF

to Fuel Your Training

P

cut that is perfect for ork loin is a lean, versatile possible, get pork loin roasting or stir frying. If off excess fat prior to without the fat cap or trim that is high in protein, cooking. Quinoa is a seed both calories. For vegetarians, iron and fiber, but low in are excellent side dishes the zucchini and the quinoa by themselves. sauce if possible, as it is soy sodium reduced a Use to make the glaze in smaller lighter in flavour. It is difficult use (it excess glaze for a future amounts, so reserve any the fridge). can last up to a month in

tion Total preparas time: 4 hour 4: Serves

with the University of Toronto In 2010, I graduated from political of Arts, where I studied an honours in Bachelor unibioethics. When I finished science, psychology and at Pricewaterhouse Coopers versity, I was offered a job

PAGE 11 10 SIGNS YOU MAY BE OVERTRAINING PAGE 12 INJURY PREVENTION 12 PAK Warm Up vs Figure Skater Bootcamp Warm Up

18

TURNING PASSION INTO A CAREER

6

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

Split Lunge Jumps

Y 15 MIN HIGH INTENSIT R TE HEART RATE BOOS 2

Note: If you are not yet conditioned, try starting a with 3 sets, then adding set each week to build up stamina.

Jump Squat

1

Set the timer to 30 total sets

3

Set a timer to 20 second intervals with 10 second rest period

1

hip Stand with the feet slightly in distance apart. Squat back the hips pushing the weight sinking down while heels, the to more thighs. the with s degree to 45-90 push the hip Swing the arms back and as high as and arms through to jump you can in the air. Repeat.

degrees and the with your front knee at 90 Start in a lunge position bend and hovers The back leg has a slight knee aligned with the ankle. straight. the ground. Keep your back about 1-2 inches above in the air and switch can you as , jump as high From the starting lunge position Repeat. the other leg in front. legs in the air to land with

3

By Dr. Bryon Weinberg

PAGE 42 INJURY PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT

Repeat each exercise 6 times before moving on to the next exercise.

Rowing Sit Ups

4 Do the whole workout with no breaks.

4

your legs off Lying on your back, hover next to your the ground and your arms sides. while rowing Come into a full sit up position position. Repeat. your arms to a bent elbow ging, add weight To make this more challen

By Meghan Buttle

to each hand.

Burpees

Push Ups

2

PAGE 38 HOW TO MAXIMIZE INJURY PREVENTION PAGE 40 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INJURY MANAGEMENT

UTS FITNESS INSIDER WORKO

Figure Skater fitness

INJURY PREVENTION

By Signe Ronka

From a competitive skater to a successful business woman

3 4

utes.

8

When the glaze is cool, put the pork loin and the glaze in a plastic bag. Add enough of glaze to coat the surface the pork loin. Allow the pork for to marinate in the fridge at least 3 hours To prepare the quinoa, rinse thoroughly under cold water, 3 changing water at least to times. This is vital in order avoid the bitter, soapy taste naturally present in the seeds

Add the prepared zucchini rounds to the tomato mixture and mix to coat well. Place cook the dish in the oven and for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp, but set cooked. Season well and the the oven to broil. Return for dish to the oven to broil 45 seconds.

9

themselves.

5 6

Add the quinoa and chicken broth to a pot. Cover and for cook under medium heat broth 20 minutes, or until the the has been absorbed and quinoa is tender.

off Scrape the excess glaze in the pork and place the pork ovenon a wire rack above an for proof tray. Roast the pork 25 minutes or until the pork temperainternal reaches an ture of 145F. If desired, add pork some glaze on top of the Let and broil for 30 seconds. the pork rest for 10 minutes before serving.

10

Preheat the oven to 350F. An hour before serving time, remove the pork from the to fridge. This is vital so as ensure even cooking time

es To serve, add the cranberri and almonds to the quinoa and season accordingly. of Place the pork on a mound vegquinoa and arrange the etables in a fan next to the quinoa. Serve immediately.

5

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

23

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

35

34

OCTOBER 2015 FIGURESKATERFITNESS

34

RECIPES

FOOD TO FUEL YOUR TRAINING SKATERS CORNER

Figure Skater fitness

to confluence of several factors of the iceberg. It takes a produce world-class athletes. nary are born with the extraordi Only an infinitesimal few or Michelle Kwan.

Jordan Michael talents of Wayne Gretzky, their gift is legendary. Despite How these ‘stars’ finessed long assiduously and enjoyed being the best, they practiced careers. es individual to devote themselv While it may take a unique passionate sport, I have worked with wholeheartedly to their ethic work their Yet week. a times kids who skate only a few or. competit rivals that of a world of comes in all forms. A love I’ve discovered that skating us at every level. the sport is what inspires experpass on my passion and What a gift it has been to greatest gift to me. tise. And that is figure skating’s

Ta le nt

g: Recommended Readin Separates world-class perReally Talent is Overrated: What

by Geoffrey Colvin former from everyone else

It’s not the gift, it’s the grit that counts

Y

GLAMOUR

OCTOBER 2015

OCTOBER 2015 figureskaterfitnessmag.com

four” start of the year. Your It’s September, the “real and at the local skating club year-old joins Canskate snow-suit , aded et-he helm r joins the lesson with othe clad youngsters.

the air, once you land up as high as you can in Starting in a squat, jump feet back in. Repeat. position and jump your push down into a plank es, you can skip the ups as a separate exercis Note: Because we did push . burpee push up on the modified

Start in a plank position on your hands.

Bend your elbows until they are about 90 degrees with your back and hips parallel to the floor.

Repeat.

If you need to modify, you can also try it on your kneesremember to keep your hips in a linear line with the rest of the body.

By Martha Weizman

By Martha Weizman

19

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

on increase anaerobic threshold his HIIT workout will help to increase cardio and offset the ice. It’s great training ice. lactic acid build up on the ! sweating start and Try these 5 exercises How to train this:

PAGE 16 WHY FIGURE SKATERS NEED BALLET TRAINING

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

OCTOBER 2015

OCTOBER 2015 FIGURESKATERFITNESS

18

2

a Add olive oil and garlic in dish wide, shallow casserole over medium heat. Fry until not the garlic is fragrant, but minburnt – approximately 1 ute. Add tomato sauce and mix well. Cook over medium heat for about 10-15 min-

7

place To prepare the zucchini, the rounds in a bowl with a generous amount of salt (around 1/3 cup or enough to coat the surface of the dry zucchini). Place in a cool half place for approximately an hour. Rinse the rounds well and pat dry. Set aside.

y 1/3 cup hone (optional) 3 star anise

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

T

PAGE 14 WHY STRETCHING IS IMPORTANT FOR FIGURE SKATERS

fitness?

competitive skating, I couldn’t Signe: When I quit and was a huge part of me just leave the sport. It that passion alive. While I so badly wanted to keep coaching and for I was in universality I started in the ice show at Canada’s two summers I skated y in universit my for d Wonderland. I also compete two the OUA Championships Varsity events and won on I decided to focus more years in a row. After that, I was of undergrad because school the last two years to school full time. working full time and going

body for Train both the mind and ice. ultimate results on the

pork without the centre of the to being cold. Allow the pork ure stand at room temperat for at least 15 minutes.

Loin Chops 150g) t 4 Lean Pork weighs abou (Each chop rounds into 1/4 inch 2 Zucchini, cut hed tomatoes 1/3 cup crus ed minc c, garli 3 cloves of oa quin 1/2 cup en broth 3/4 cup chick berries 50g dried cran ted slivers, toas 75g almond soy sauce ced sodium 1/2 cup redu

in Consulting.

into FSF: So how did you get

Prepare the glaze by adding honey, soy sauce and star anise to a pot over medium high heat. This should take the around 3 minutes or until mixture is viscous in texture.

Cool and set aside

1

LET’S TANGO HAIR AND MAKE-UP

ou sit in the stands and wonder if the coach notices your child. It is a common of enquiry. On the other side take the boards however, it doesn’t to know all long for the coach to get is unique. the canskaters. Each one they Most kids love to skate after It feels master the ‘art of the glide.’ there like flying. But for every ‘flier’ and are also kids who are reluctant ement. fearful. They need encourag to the off race to Others just want bar. snack arena kids but Passion exists within all where it is for some, skating is not

44

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

to watch. uled on TV, I raced home nt. If yours moved to found. Kids are transpare As a pre-teen, my coach spark Finally I got loves to skate they possess a new club across town. share the ice and a “love of the game”. to skate every day. And we Drive follows talent; when skaters! ss with world-cla g we skating of have an affinity for somethin thrill the y Eventuall a chore ation embrace it. Practice is less morphed into fierce determin - the thrill ive ladder. than the joy of discovery as I climbed the competit “joy of the of skill acquisition.

On tough days it was that ! I lived to connect.

As a kid, I was obsessed glide” to which I tried to ed daydream I off days my On Beautiful skate.

The only requirements? in about performing for Canada music and the ice.

I would front of thousands of people.

As a coach I have seen many t chosport to spend hours in the basemen gifted skaters leave the The Sound ities. It reographing routines to embrace other opportun is the tip of Music and Mary Poppins. becomes clear that talent schedwere ions When competit

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

45

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

OCTOBER 2015

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

22

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

44

OCTOBER 2015

MIN HIGH INTENSITY 22 15HEART RATE BOOSTER FITNESS INSIDER WORKOUTS

PAGE 50 Charlotte figureskaterfitnessmag.com

PAGE 52 Jananiy

SKATERS CORNER

TALENT IT’S NOT THE GIFT, IT’S THE GRIT THAT COUNTS OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

7

Figure Skater fitness

FITNESS INSIDER

SPORT SPECIFIC TRAINING:

ENERGY SYSTEMS & MUSCLE ACTIVATION

F

igure skating is a complex sport that involves intense training both on and off the ice. Off-ice training is extremely important in order to prevent injuries and maximize potential on the ice. As our sport evolves, the skills are more difficult to perform, which in turn makes it even more important to prepare the body to take on such demands.

When I was competing, we didn’t have sport specific training programs designed. My coach would tell me to go for an hour run to condition, do some weight training to get strong, do pilates to have a strong core and stretch for 30 min every day to be more flexible. If I did that, then I would be in good shape. As our sport evolved, so did the fitness industry with new studies and research proving that some of the things I was doing in the past, may not have fully been benefiting for my sport. Or in other words, I could have been doing more sport specific training to see more improvement on the ice.

What is sport specific training? This term is used a lot in other sports, and the goal here is to focus on figure skating.

Sport specific training involves understanding a few key components to the physical demands of the sport and the energy systems we use to perform various

8

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

skills.

The chart on the following page looks at the three types of energy systems (phosphagen, glycolytic, and oxidative) to understand how the physical demands of the sport tie into this.

As you can see, different skills figure skaters perform on the ice will use different energy systems.

In order to make this as easy as possible to understand, I will skip the deep science behind how each energy system works and compare it to muscle activation.

What is a muscle activation?

Muscle activation refers to muscle fibres simultaneously activating to create a contractile “twitch”. There are two types of muscle fibres: fast twitch (Type IIa and Type IIb) and slow twitch (Type I). You may have heard your coach say to you: “You need more fast twitch!”

Fast twitch muscles are activated during high intensity and short duration exercises, which are associated with the phosphagen/glycolytic energy systems.

This is commonly known as anaerobic exercise, where most of the oxygen in the muscle is used to perform an exercise at high intensity. For example, sprinting at high 90% of power for 10 seconds or performing 10 squat jumps in a row.

ENERGY SYSTEM

% OF EXERCISE FIGURE SKATING POWER DURATION EXAMPLE

PHOSPHAGEN

90-100

5-10 s

Performing a double, triple or quad jump.

GLYCOLYTIC

75-90

15-30 s

Performing a spin or pairs lift.

GLYCOLYTIC + OXIDATIVE

30-75

1-3 min

Performing a step sequence and transition steps in a short/ long program.

OXIDATIVE

20-35

>3 min

Stroking exercises.

important to train the muscle groups needed for specific skills on the ice appropriately with a proper off-ice training plan. Training more efficiently will save the athlete more energy and time and essentially lead to improved results both on and off the ice.

Thus, sport specific training is understanding the knowledge of energy systems, muscle fibre activation and skills needed on the ice in order to develop a training plan most appropriate for a figure skater. If you would like to learn more about sport specific training for figure skating, check out Figure Skater Bootcamp for more information. www.flexafit. com Slow twitch muscles are activated during low intensity and long duration exercises, which are associated with the oxidative energy system. This is commonly know as aerobic exercise, where oxygen is continuously replenished to the working muscle in order for the body to be able to sustain figureskaterfitnessmag.com

longer duration exercises. For example, running a marathon would recruit slow twitch muscle fibres.

Figure skaters need more fast twitch muscle activation than slow twitch.

Although every athlete can benefit from both fast and slow twitch fibres, it is

Signe Ronka,

CSCS, PTS, BA, NCCP3 Reference: (National Strength and Conditioning Association- Essentials of Strength & Conditioning- 3rd edition) OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

9

Figure Skater fitness

FITNESS INSIDER

10 Signs

YOU MAY BE OVERTRAINING O

vertraining can occur at all levels of skating as skaters ramp up their on and off-ice training. Usually overtraining occurs at the more elite lev-

1 2 3 4 5

You have difficulty recovering from a workout.

Your resting heart rate is higher than normal.

You are experiencing decreased performance.

You have increased muscle soreness.

You are not getting enough sleep.

els of skating as skaters’s will ramp up their on ice and off ice time. The combination of increased volume, frequency and intensity can lead to overtraining.

6 7 8 9 10

You feel a change in mood.

You have difficulty concentrating.

You are injured more often than usual and not recovering as quickly.

You are not progressing anymore.

You lack motivation to keep training.

If you experience any of these symptoms, it might be good to step back and assess your training plan. It’s better to take a few days off to recover and rest the body than to be set back months.

10

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

11

Figure Skater fitness

FITNESS INSIDER

INJURY PREVENTION

12 PAK Warm Up vs Figure Skater Bootcamp Warm Up

T

he Coaching Association of Canada has developed a 12 PAK of Performance and Prevention Warm Up routine, which covers exercises that should be done as part of warm up for athletes in any sport.

Below is a chart of what the Coaching Association of Canada suggests for proper warm up and how it compares to what we do at Figure Skater Bootcamp. I have placed a yes in the box if it is part of our warm up.

Some of the exercises we do as part of our work outs, which is why I have replaced it with the exercise we do at Figure Skater Bootcamp.

In addition to the 12 PAK, at Figure Skater Bootcamp, we would add to this warm up by doing sport specific warm ups, such as skips, cross positions, off ice jumps, and rotational exercises.

Warm Up Exercises #

Coaching Association of Canada

Figure Skater Bootcamp

1

Dynamic One-Foot Landing

yes

2

Walking Lunges

yes

3

Side Lunges

yes

4

Walking Deadlifts

yes

5

I, T, Y, W

Supermans

6

Push-ups

yes

7

Dynamic Plank

yes

8

Supine Bridge

Supine Bridge with Hip Raise

9

Zig Zag Run

Sport Specific Exercises for Change of Direction

10

Side jumps over a line

Hurdles

11

Bounding

yes

12

Side Sliding on a Smooth Surface

Sliders

STATIC VS DYNAMIC STRETCHING

T

hink of muscles like elastic bands. If you take an elastic band and stretch it for 5 min and then release the tension, the elastic band is most likely not going to snap back. However, if you stretch an elastic band for a quick second and let go, the elastic will bounce back. The same theory acts on muscles and stretching.

Dynamic stretching is when a muscle is stretched through a continuous range of

motion. This allows the muscle to retain its elasticity while warming up the muscles. An example of a dynamic stretch would be doing a high kick with the leg extended in the front to warm up the hamstring muscles.

Static stretching is when a muscle is held in a stationary position for a longer period of time. This is usually done after the workout or practice and helps improve flexibility. It also helps to maintain the muscles existing length. During practice sessions, muscles are contracting by all the repetitive movements done in figure skating. If the athlete doesn’t stretch after practice, the muscles over time will shorten.

In figure skating, you want to retain fast twitch for your skating session. Fast twitch muscles will help you jump higher, have more power, etc. If you do static stretches that are held longer than 1 min, you may be reducing your on-ice performance. It could also lead to an injury, as the muscles will be slower to react.

If you are performing bielmans, spirals, or any high flexibility skills on the ice that you want to warm up, it is important to warm those positions up before going on the ice.

First start with a full warm up, including dynamic and sport specific. Once you complete your full warm up and the body is warm, do all the sport specific stretches you need to do.

Remember- you are just warming up, do the stretches for 30 seconds or less. Flexibility training should be done after practice.

Reference: www.coach.ca

12

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

13

Figure Skater fitness

BY MARTHA WEIZMAN

S

tretching is the best method for improving flexibility. Flexibility encourages the lengthening of muscles tissue. Stretching regularly will help figure skaters to release muscle tension, increase fluidity of movement, release toxins, and most importantly prevent injuries.

A tighter body has more resistance and therefore power and free movement can potentially be lost. Stretching regularly will help improve performance on the ice. For example, by opening up the chest with upper body stretches, tension is released, which will allow the shoulders and neck to move more freely.

This then enables the figure skater to breathe more deeply and increase energy, stamina, not to mention decreasing rounded shoulders and overall better posture. Hand movements will soften with stretching fingers and wrists.

Expression becomes easier to produce, the more relaxed the skater is.

Stretching the adductors or inner thigh muscles will increase the skaters height of leg lifts. By stretching the gluteus muscles the skater will have better flow of edges, crossovers and connecting steps. Once the upper back is stretched more often the rotation in jumps improves. Stretching lower back muscles may improve the sit spin position.

Piriformis focus will improve a skaters take offs for jumps and aid in better alignment of the pelvis. The back itself, when stretched regularly will produce better spinning.

14

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

Why stretching is important for rs

FITNESS INSIDER

e t a k s if g u re

Having proper mobility in the ankles will improve pivot action of the foot. Quadriceps when stretched regularly improves the power of jumps. Hip flexor stretches is great for the splits and helps with the lay back positions. Hip flexibility can be gained by releasing gluteus muscles and lower back.

The bottom line is: the tighter the body the more tension and stiffness it holds.

Stretching helps repair the imbalances and prevent overcompensation . How else will the figure skater master the Biellman Spin or a Y stand without this great tool called stretching?

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

15

Figure Skater fitness

FITNESS INSIDER

SPOTLIGHT

WHY FIGURE SKATERS NEED BALLET TRAINING

BY MARTHA WEIZMAN

B

allet is one of the most beautiful forms of artistic expression. It is and always will be the pioneer of all dance forms to developing the greatest technique to jump, spin, glide and sustain graceful, refined movement. The ice becomes a stage to create dramatic and musical qualities that can move the audience and touch one’s soul.

Great technique starts at the ballet barre.

PLIES for example meaning to bend are the building blocks for jumps. Every ballet class begins with the plie to increase strength and

16

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

improve flexibility and mobility of hips, knees and ankles. In the fitness world the equivalent is the squat. The plie, however demands upper body posture, graceful placement of the arms, balance and core stability all at the same time.

The TENDU meaning a brushing action of the foot is the driving force behind the biggest jump. Strength comes from the ground up, thus the feet are a powerful tool. Foot alignment and proper placement of the knee is so important to ensure safe landing positions.

Barre work focuses on the precise technique

and placement of the body in preparation for graceful and powerful movement. The correct posture trains the pelvis and torso to lift off the legs for ease of motion. The carriage of the arms PORT DE BRAS, the position of the head helps teach the skaters to soften shoulder lines and lengthen their necks. The skaters learn how to hold themselves and understand the method of the counter pull gravity versus upward pull. The ballet class encourages the skaters to refine their hand movements and soften facial muscles which aids in ease of expression and less tension.

The ballet class continues away from the barre and progresses in the center. Center work particularly in the ADAGIO section, meaning slow movements, teaches the skaters sustained movements requiring great strength with full control. PETITE ALLEGRO, meaning small brisk steps teaches the skaters transitional steps and footwork. GRAND ALLEGRO meaning larger movements focuses on travelling with power and emphasizes speed while jumping and spinning. The ARABESQUE, meaning leg lifted behind the body, encourages greater extension with the focus on pelvic placement necessary for balance, resulting in a beautiful spiral.

Ballet class is the most progressive form of movement. Each exercise gives the skaters strength, balance and the confidence to prepare for the next movement. It is only a matter of time with strong ballet training that the figure skater will feel the difference, and truly will be dancing on ice.

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

17

Figure Skater fitness Figure Skater Fitness (FSF): Tell us about your skating career and your greatest accomplishments in the sport.

Signe: I started skating when I was 8.5 years old in 1996 at East York Skating Club in Toronto, ON. In 1998, I joined the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club to train with Ellen Burka and Petra Burka.

By the time I turned 12, I was landing all of my triple jumps. In 2001, I was the Canadian Junior Ladies Bronze Medalist at age 13. Right after Nationals that year, I switched clubs to train at the Granite Club. I went to multiple Junior Grand Prix (JGP) events over the next few years. My first year on the JGP circuit, I medalled at both my events in France and Italy, which qualified me to the Junior Grand Prix Finals in Holland. This was probably my biggest accomplishment. I remember my coach Mrs. Burka and I were in tears celebrating because not only

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

was I the second Canadian to ever make the JGP finals, it was going to be held in her home country. It was a very special moment. From there I went to Junior Worlds in Czech Republic.

FSF: What did you do after competitive skating?

Signe: When I turned 16, every-

thing changed with my skating.

My body started changing, and my jumps became more inconsistent and that’s when the injuries started piling on. I ended my career in 2006, with a top 10 finish at Nationals in Senior Ladies. For me it was a really depressing end to my competitive career. I left feeling like I had never reached the level of competition I wanted to. I was at a crossroad when I turned 18. It was a tough decision, but I decided that I wanted to go to school and start a different life.

TURNING PASSION INTO A CAREER

From a competitive skater to a successful business woman

Set yourself up for successgive yourself the right tools to accomplish your goals

In 2010, I graduated from the University of Toronto with an honours in Bachelor of Arts, where I studied political science, psychology and bioethics. When I finished university, I was offered a job at Pricewaterhouse Coopers in Consulting.

FSF: So how did you get into fitness?

Signe: When I quit competitive skating, I couldn’t

Train both the mind and body for ultimate results on the ice.

18

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

just leave the sport. It was a huge part of me and I so badly wanted to keep that passion alive. While I was in universality I started coaching and for two summers I skated in the ice show at Canada’s Wonderland. I also competed for my university in Varsity events and won the OUA Championships two years in a row. After that, I decided to focus more on school the last two years of undergrad because I was working full time and going to school full time.

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

19

Figure Skater fitness

IN THE SPOTLIGHT However, over the four years of school, I joined a private gym where we trained more intensely than I had ever trained when I skated. I learned so much from that trainer and he offered me a group class instructor position provided I got my PTS (Personal Training Specialist) certification. I helped him for two years teaching fitness classes and personal training. After all the training and learning experience I got from my trainer, I realized that had I trained that intensely when I skated, I could have prevented injuries and been so much stronger on the ice.

This is when I started looking into sport specific training for figure skaters.

In 2010, I put together a small class called Figure Skater Bootcamp with some of my own skaters. We trained on weekends in the park until more skaters wanted to join. The following year, I rented space from a local gym to hold weekend classes in addition to my coaching and full time job at PwC. I started a website for my program to encourage other skaters to join. As the word spread about the program, people from all over the world were contacting me to learn more about the program. This is when I got the idea to create a DVD - “Reach New Heights- The Ultimate Off-Ice Workout”. To date, the DVD has sold hundreds of copies worldwide.

In 2012, I decided to leave my job at PwC and start Figure Skater Bootcamp full time. I opened up my own studio (Flexafit) downtown Toronto. I continued my education in the fitness industry where I studied under the most recognized National Strength & Conditioning Association. I certified as CSCS (Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist).

20

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

FSF: What is your philosophy behind Figure Skater Bootcamp?

Signe: Figure Skater Bootcamp is designed to condition figure skaters with sport-specific exercises and training methods which directly relate to figure skating movements, energy systems used and proper muscle activation. We focus on providing proper training in order to foster athletic development, prevent injury, and maximize efficient use of on ice training time. Skaters learn a warm up routine that is done before every session. This warm up can also be used before practice and competitions. Following the warm up, each week is a different focus for

strength & conditioning. We run a structured 8 week cycle with a testing session on the final week. We also train off ice jumps and plyometrics weekly along with a long stretch session at the end of each class.

FSF: What’s new and exciting with Figure Skater Bootcamp?

Signe: We have lots of new and exciting things going on at Figure Skater Bootcamp. Currently the program has expanded across several skating clubs around the Greater Toronto Area/ Ontario. I have hired new trainers who all have figure skating backgrounds and personal training certifications.

I have also opened up the opportunity for skating clubs and sections to host Figure Skater Bootcamp workshops. To date, we’ve done multiple workshops at various skating clubs figureskaterfitnessmag.com

internationally. In Canada, we have done Skate Canada- Nova Scotia, Skate Canada- COS, Skate Canada- PEI and Skate Canada- New Brunswick. Workshops are a great way for skaters to get a kick start on sport specific training if they are unable to train with us in Toronto.

Follow us on our social media sites to stay up to date on all the fun things going on at Figure Skater Bootcamp.

Facebook (put icon): Figure Skater Bootcamp Instagram (put icon): @flexafit Twitter (put icon): @figsk8rbootcamp

FSF: What’s next for you?

Signe: I am constantly doing research on improving the program and looking into ideas that will add value to the skating community. I decided to start Figure Skater Fitness magazine to provide up to date in-

formation to skaters, coaches, and parents about everything they need to know about what it takes to train like a figure skater.

The goal is to be the number one source for fitness training, nutrition advice, training the mind, injury prevention and glamour.

We have a wonderful team of writers and editors on staff who have amazing credentials. As figure skating advances technically, demanding more mind and body training, I believe a magazine based on a scientific approach to sport specific training will benefit the skating community.

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

21

Figure Skater fitness

FITNESS INSIDER WORKOUTS

15 MIN HIGH INTENSITY HEART RATE BOOSTER T

his HIIT workout will help increase anaerobic threshold on the ice. It’s great training to increase cardio and offset lactic acid build up on the ice.

Try these 5 exercises and start sweating!

How to train this: Note: If you are not yet conditioned, try starting with 3 sets, then adding a set each week to build up stamina.

Jump Squat

1

2

Set the timer to 30 total sets

Set a timer to 20 second intervals with 10 second rest period

1

Stand with the feet slightly hip distance apart. Squat back in the hips pushing the weight more to the heels, while sinking down to 45-90 degrees with the thighs.

Swing the arms back and push the hip and arms through to jump as high as you can in the air. Repeat.

Push Ups

3

Split Lunge Jumps

Repeat each exercise 6 times before moving on to the next exercise.

4

Rowing Sit Ups

Do the whole workout with no breaks.

4

Lying on your back, hover your legs off the ground and your arms next to your sides.

Come into a full sit up position while rowing your arms to a bent elbow position. Repeat.

To make this more challenging, add weight to each hand.

Burpees

2

Start in a plank position on your hands.

Bend your elbows until they are about 90 degrees with your back and hips parallel to the floor.

Repeat.

If you need to modify, you can also try it on your kneesremember to keep your hips in a linear line with the rest of the body.

22

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

3

Start in a lunge position with your front knee at 90 degrees and the knee aligned with the ankle. The back leg has a slight bend and hovers about 1-2 inches above the ground. Keep your back straight.

From the starting lunge position, jump as high as you can in the air and switch legs in the air to land with the other leg in front. Repeat.

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

5

Starting in a squat, jump up as high as you can in the air, once you land push down into a plank position and jump your feet back in. Repeat.

Note: Because we did push ups as a separate exercises, you can skip the push up on the modified burpee.

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

23

Figure Skater fitness

FITNESS INSIDER WORKOUTS

GET THE ULTIMATE TUCK POSITION WITH THESE FLYING SIT SPIN EXERCISES!

S

trengthening the legs off the ice is key to having a beautiful sit spin on the ice. With these exercises, you will gain power and strength to execute a beautiful flying sit spin on the ice.

How to train this:

Deep Squat

1

Warm up with the Figure Skater Bootcamp warm up routine.

(You can purchase Reach New Heights to get the full warm up)

2

3

Flying sit

4

Combine the one leg tuck jump with the one leg squat.

Make sure you DO NOT drop down into the sit position.

Balance on the foot after the one leg tuck jump and then slowly go down into the sit.

Do each exercise for 10 repetitions then repeat 3 sets

Take a 1.5 min rest between sets.

1

Stand with feet slightly more than hip distance apart and turn the toes slightly out.

Squat down past 90 degrees until your butt is hovering above the ground. Keep your back straight and weight pressing into the heels.

One Leg Tuck Jump

2

Balance on one foot and coordinate the arm swing back with the free leg. Swing the freeleg and arms through to jump in the air. Tuck the standing leg up to your butt with the freeleg stretched in front. Land with a soft knee bend and repeat.

24

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

One Leg Squat

3

Balance on one foot and extend the freeleg to the front. Squat down to 90 degrees keeping the weight pushing into the middle/heel. If you are more advanced, try going down all the way to a hover above the ground. When you push back up, press into the heel, activating your gluttes and hamstrings to initiate the upward movement.

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

25

Figure Skater fitness

FITNESS INSIDER WORKOUTS

GET IT NOW! STRONG FIGURE SKATER CORE

V-Sit Twist

3

Start lying on your back with your legs stretched and arms over your head.

Bring one leg up and sit up reaching with the opposite hand to the leg. Twist the body and reach back the free arm. Start lying on your back with your legs stretched and arms over your head. Bring one leg up and sit up reaching with the opposite hand to the leg. Twist the body and reach back the free arm.

H

aving a strong core is key in figure skating to maintain balance and stability. Every aspect of figure skating involves using your core, from in air positions, to centering your spins, to basic skating skills.

How to do this:

1

Do each exercise for 1 min.

3 Repeat this set 3 times.

2

Take a 10 second break between exercises

Supermans

4

Lie on your stomach with arms stretched in front and knees lifted off the floor. Squeeze the gluttes. Start movement by bending elbows and squeezing the shoulder blades back and together.

Mountain Climbers

1

In a plank position on your hands, pull one knee into the chest. Place foot back into plank and repeat with the other leg.

Plank Twist

2

Start in a plank position on your hands or elbows. Twist hips to one side then to the other.

Make sure the movement is in an arc shape.

Side Plank Star

5

Get into a side plank on the hand or elbow. Lift the top leg parallel to the floor and then back down. Repeat this movement for duration of the exercise. Repeat on the other side.

26

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

27

Figure Skater fitness

FITNESS INSIDER WORKOUTS

IMPROVE YOUR SPLITS IN 4 EASY STEPS!

H

ow to improve your splits.

Practicing the splits is essential for figure skaters to improve the aesthetic look of field movements, spins, and general skating skills.

How to do this:

1

2

Hold each stretch for 1 min

3

Hamstring

3

Sit on the floor with one leg extended in front, bending the other knee back or sitting on the back foot.

Lean forward with a straight back. Flex toes towards you.

Repeat for 3 sets

Do these 6-7 times per week for maximum results

1 Quad Stretch

Lie on the ground, bend one foot back and the other one tucked in to the thigh. Based on tightness, lean back starting on hands, then elbows then all the way down. Make sure the stretching leg knee does not lift off the ground.

Splits

4

Hold the splits in all three directions for 1 min each. Use blocks if you are not all the way down yet.

Hip Flexors/Quads

1

Put knee against the wall with the foot on the wall. Get into a lunge position and extend the front knee in front.

Make sure the hips are square to the ground.

28

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

29

Figure Skater fitness

NUTRITION INSIDER

Hydration Guidelines and a Homemade

Electrolyte Drink Recipe

Why do fluid intake guidelines exist?

Skating for fun, fitneSS and perSonal achievement

in the heart of the city

Although thirst reminds us to replete our fluids, studies show that thirst alone does not always result in adequate hydration. Moreover, it is not possible to set a single requirement for adequate fluid intake due to individual differences in metabolism, perspiration, and activity levels. Use the following information as a guideline and check in with yourself to see if you need more or less. If you sweat a lot or feel thirsty you may need a little extra water after exercise.

Conversely, if you feel bloated or uncomfortable after water consumption, decrease your intake.

Ultimately, you know your body best and it is essential to trust yourself!

Children ages 4-8 Gender

Females

Recommended fluid 1.4L intake (5 cups) Additional fluids during physical activity

- -

Preadolescents ages 9-13

Adolescents ages 14-18

Adults over 18 years

Males

Females

Males

Females

Males

Females

Males

1.4L (5 cups)

1.7L (7 cups)

1.9L (8 cups)

1.8L (7 cups)

2.6L (8 cups)

2.2L (10cups)

3L (13cups)

250ml (1 cup) every 15 minutes of physical activity in adults 150ml (or two kid-size gulps) of water every 20 minutes for an 88-pound child.

The following guidelines are based on information from the Committee on Scientific Evaluation for Dietary Reference Intakes, the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP), and the American Association of pediatrics.

30

www.centraltorontoskating.com

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

31

Figure Skater fitness

How much water do I really need?

How much should I drink before, during and after practice?

Water is essential for all bodily functions including digestion, physical performance, and mental functioning. It is critical to restore the fluids we lose through metabolism, breathing, sweating and digestion. Studies show that it is not uncommon to lose 6-10% of body weight though sweating, which leads to dehydration when these fluids are not replenished. Studies also show that as little as a 2% of fluid loss can affect performance in athletes. This level of mild dehydration results in reduced endurance, increased fatigue, decreased motivation and increased perceived effort.1 Additional signs of mild dehydration include headaches, constipation, muscle cramps, fatigue and light headedness.

Other beverages Although other beverages such as juice, tea, coffee and milk do contribute to your daily water intake, these fluids may contain a high sugar content or act as diuretics causing fluid depletion. The Harvard institute of medicine recommends that at least half of your fluid intake come from water. Although sport drinks offer electrolytes, they are often high in sugar and/or artificial sweeteners which can lead to dehydration and stomach upset. The American Academy of Pediatrics states children rarely need sport drinks and caution their use due to the high sugar content.2 Generally water is sufficient, but electrolytes may be necessary for athletes exercising for more than one-hour periods, especially with excessive sweating. If you experience muscle cramps, this may be a sign that you require electrolytes in addition to fluids.3 In addition to eating a healthy snack such as fruit before and after your practice, you can try this homemade electrolyte recipe to supply your body with electrolytes and energy for those high intensity training sessions.

CSEP recommends drinking 1 cup of water every 15 minutes during exercise. This amount may vary based on perspiration, the duration and intensity of exercise, your age, and the environment. In figure skating, drinking this much water may not be conducive to the execution of jumps and spins.

Furthermore, you may perspire less because of the cool temperature of the ice rink. Be sure to drink to your comfort level when on the ice.

A general recommendation would be keeping a 1L bottle with you during practice sessions and drinking approximately 150250ml 20 minutes before the session. During practice, take a couple gulps every 20 minutes or so, and drink the remaining 250-500ml after the session.

Homemade Electrolyte Recipe 1L water squeezed Fresh juice from ¼-½ a lemon or orange 1/4 tsp sea salt ey 2 tbsp maple syrup or hon Emer (pure coconut water or at and gre o gen-C packs are als easy options)

Angelica Kada

is a licensed naturopathic doctor practicing in Toronto.

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

REFERENCES: 1. Popkin, Barry M., Kristen E. D’Anci, and Irwin H. Rosenberg. “Water, hydration, and health.” Nutrition reviews 68.8 (2010): 439-458.

2. “Kids Should Not Consume Energy Drinks, and Rarely Need Sport Drinks, Say AAP.” American Academy of Pediatrics. Web. <https://www.aap.org/en-us/ about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/ kids-should-not-consume-energydrinks,-and-rarely-need-sports-drinks,says-aap.aspx>.

3. “Trade Sports Drinks for Water Harvard Health Blog.” Harvard Health Blog RSS. 30 July 2012. Web. 17 Aug. 2015. <http://www.health.harvard. edu/blog/trade-sports-drinks-for-water-201207305079>.

32

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

figureskaterfitness.com

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

33

Figure Skater fitness

Food

to Fuel Your Training

RECIPES

ASIAN GLAZED PORK LOIN WITH ZUCCINI GRATIN AND QUINOA PILAF

P

ork loin is a lean, versatile cut that is perfect for roasting or stir frying. If possible, get pork loin without the fat cap or trim off excess fat prior to cooking. Quinoa is a seed that is high in protein, iron and fiber, but low in calories. For vegetarians, both the zucchini and the quinoa are excellent side dishes by themselves.

Use a reduced sodium soy sauce if possible, as it is lighter in flavour. It is difficult to make the glaze in smaller amounts, so reserve any excess glaze for a future use (it can last up to a month in the fridge).

Total preparation time: 4 hours Serves 4: 4 Lean Pork Loin Chops t 150g) (Each chop weighs abou inch rounds 2 Zucchini, cut into 1/4 es 1/3 cup crushed tomato 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 cup quinoa 3/4 cup chicken broth 50g dried cranberries d 75g almond slivers, toaste soy sauce 1/2 cup reduced sodium 1/3 cup honey 3 star anise (optional)

34

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

1

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

2

3

4

7

To prepare the zucchini, place the rounds in a bowl with a generous amount of salt (around 1/3 cup or enough to coat the surface of the zucchini). Place in a cool dry place for approximately half an hour. Rinse the rounds well and pat dry. Set aside.

8

To prepare the quinoa, rinse thoroughly under cold water, changing water at least 3 times. This is vital in order to avoid the bitter, soapy taste naturally present in the seeds themselves.

Add the quinoa and chicken broth to a pot. Cover and cook under medium heat for 20 minutes, or until the broth has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender.

6

Add olive oil and garlic in a wide, shallow casserole dish over medium heat. Fry until the garlic is fragrant, but not burnt – approximately 1 minute. Add tomato sauce and mix well. Cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes.

Add the prepared zucchini rounds to the tomato mixture and mix to coat well. Place the dish in the oven and cook for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp, but cooked. Season well and set the oven to broil. Return the dish to the oven to broil for 45 seconds.

When the glaze is cool, put the pork loin and the glaze in a plastic bag. Add enough glaze to coat the surface of the pork loin. Allow the pork to marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours

5

without the centre of the pork being cold. Allow the pork to stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.

Prepare the glaze by adding honey, soy sauce and star anise to a pot over medium high heat. This should take around 3 minutes or until the mixture is viscous in texture.

Cool and set aside

9

Scrape the excess glaze off the pork and place the pork in on a wire rack above an ovenproof tray. Roast the pork for 25 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145F. If desired, add some glaze on top of the pork and broil for 30 seconds. Let the pork rest for 10 minutes before serving.

10

Preheat the oven to 350F. An hour before serving time, remove the pork from the fridge. This is vital so as to ensure even cooking time

OCTOBER 2015

To serve, add the cranberries and almonds to the quinoa and season accordingly.

Place the pork on a mound of quinoa and arrange the vegetables in a fan next to the quinoa. Serve immediately.

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

35

Figure Skater fitness

MANGO & COCONUT WATER SMOOTHIE Mango and Coconut Water Smoothie This drink is excellent as a pre or post workout meal replacement. The mango and whey protein allows for one to feel fuller for longer, without any unhealthy spikes in blood sugar levels. This smoothie gives a huge boost in vitamin A, vitamin C. I recommend using frozen mango, as it adds thickness to the smoothie.

The coconut water in the smoothie replenishes electrolytes lost during the process of a workout. I recommend using fresh coconut water, as I find coconut water from concentrate has a lifeless taste. For individuals that are allergic to coconut, a high quality soy, almond or rice milk is equally acceptable.

If your grocery store carries yoghurt with active cultures or kefir, I recommend using it here over a typical mass-produced yoghurt. If a thicker texture is desired, Greek yoghurt may be used instead. Unsweetened yoghurt is recommended, as it offers more control over the amount of sugar in the smoothie. I do not recommend using sugar substitutes here, as they taste especially artificial in smoothies and do not possess the floral sweetness of honey. Clover, wildflower and orange blossom honey are preferred.

I recommend using an unflavoured or vanilla flavoured protein powder, as I find other flavours interfere with the taste of the mango. Adjust the type and quantity of protein powder as desired.

36

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

RECIPES

Total Preparation Time: 5 minutes Makes 3 Cups 300g frozen mango 1 ripe banana 100g Greek yoghurt or kefir 2 cups coconut water 7 tablespoons of whey protein powder as 2 tablespoons of honey or needed (optional)

1

Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend on smoothie/ crush ice for approximately 2 minutes.

Serve chilled.

Any excess smoothie can be stored in the refrigerator for approximately 3 days (further storage may cause the smoothie to taste bitter)

WESTERN OMELETTE & SWEET POTATO HASH Western Omelet and Sweet Potato Hash It is well known that sweet potatoes are a healthier alternative to potatoes – however, the health benefits of these tubers cannot be understated. Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A, B6 and manganese. They are also helpful in lowering blood pressure and are considered low on the glycemic index. Purple sweet potatoes even contain valuable antioxidants necessary to prevent cancer. Do not peel the sweet potatoes, as it provides flavour to the hash.

1 2

Preheat the oven to 375F.

3

4

Serves 2.

3 eggs or 5 egg whites 50g mushrooms, diced 50g onion, diced d 50g red bell peppers, dice into 150g sweet potatoes, cut 1/2 inch cubes

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

To another pan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add the bell peppers, mushrooms and onions and sauté for 2 minutes or until the vegetables are translucent. Set aside.

In a bowl, beat the egg with the tines of a fork (never a whisk!) until just combined. Avoid producing too many air bubbles if possible, as it results in a tough omelet.

Heat a pan on medium heat with enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the beaten egg and continuously stir the egg with a spatula for about 1 1/2 minutes or until the mixture looks slightly runny, but still holds together.*

5

This is an excellent breakfast meal, although it may be also served as a brunch or light lunch option.

Total Preparation Time: 45 Minutes

To prepare the sweet potatoes, toss in olive oil to coat. Bake for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Season when the potatoes finished cooking.

6

7

At this point, let the mixture sit in the pan for 30 seconds. Add the vegetables in the middle of the egg mixture and season.

Using a spatula, tilt the pan and flip one side of the egg over to the other side to create a half moon shape.

To plate, flip the omelet onto a plate and season the top side. Add the hash and serve immediately.

8

*I prefer my omelet fairly runny on the inside. Adjust the cooking time to your preferred doneness.

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

37

Figure Skater fitness

INJURY PREVENTION

BY: SIGNE RONKA

E

very skaters worst nightmare is the day they start feeling pain in one or more parts of their body. Pain is usually a defense mechanism of the body indicating it to slow down. The body will do everything in its power to protect the injured area. Most times when skaters feel pain, they will skate through it and go as long as they can before they need to

HOW TO MAXIMIZE INJURY PREVENTION

1

NEVER TRAIN HARD WHEN STIFF AND SORE

When a skater feels stiff and sore, they need to train using the same movements but at a lower intensity. Once the stiffness/soreness goes away (usually 3 days) then they can increase intensity.

before increasing intensity on the ice. This is one of the leading causes of injuries. Many skaters will start practicing repetitive jumps, throws, and other difficult skills, which could lead to tendonitis, stress fractures, strains, etc. Proper fitness training and getting the body ready for higher intensity training could prevent these injuries.

2

5

3

6

INTRODUCE NEW ACTIVITIES GRADUALLY

Skills that are complex and explosive, such as practicing a new double/triple jump or lifts/ throws, can cause the body to break down.

Coaches should recognize when the skater’s body has had enough of practicing a difficult skill for that day.

INCREASED FITNESS LEVELS SHOULD PRECEDE INCREASED SKILL LEVELS BY SEVERAL MONTHS.

MATCH INCREASES IN TRAINING WITH INCREASES IN RESTING

As training intensity increases, recovery time must be increased as well. For example if a skater does a high power/high intensity workout and skating session, the next day on the ice should be less intense and office training should focus on low intensity/ stretching.

4

POOR FITNESS LEVELS CAUSE INJURY

Increased fitness levels should precede increased skill levels by several months, otherwise the skater might get injured. If a skater is going to start training doubles or the double axel/triples, they should be increasing their power/strength training several months

38

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

take time off. At this point, the body just needs to rest and recover.

Let’s rewind and think about why the injury occurred in the first place, then we can assess where something went wrong.

According to the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), there are seven Training Fundamentals to think about to maximize injury prevention.

WEAR THE RIGHT FOOTWEAR

Having the right equipment whether it is getting new skates if they are broken down or wearing the proper running shoes during fitness training, can make a huge difference in training and preventing injuries.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

Skaters need to learn how to listen to their bodies when it comes to pain. The art is in determining whether a pain is just from muscle soreness or whether the body is alerting for danger ahead. Sharp pain usually is an indicator for the body to slow down or stop activity.

7

BEWARE OF THE THIRD WEEK OF HEAVY TRAINING

Psychologically signs of fatigue and overtraining can start to show after 3 weeks of heavy training. Try to mix up intensity or focus on other areas of training such as core training, skating skill development, etc and then resume heavy training again.

Reference: Coaching Association of Canada – coach.ca http://coach.ca/multi-sport-training-s15501 OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

39

Figure Skater fitness

INJURY PREVENTION

T

he term “Injury Prevention Program” is often used when reading various health magazines or medical journals. “Injury Management Program” may be a more suitable term because it is not really possible to completely prevent injuries from occurring in any type of sport. The goal should be to manage injury risk and help minimize or reduce the athlete’s susceptibility towards a certain injury.

Injury management programs have become an integral part in professional and amateur sport. In order to create the best program possible, a few key items are needed.

BY: DR. BRYON WEINBERG

1

There needs to be a complete understanding of the risk factors that are associated with common figure skating injuries. For instance: a. What are the most common injuries? b. What are the mechanisms for the cause of the injuries? c. Does the mechanism for that said injury have a certain level of predictability?

2 3

There needs to be an evidence-based assessment of the athlete in order to see who is more at risk for certain injuries.

Based on the assessment results, the athletes should then be put on an individualized exercise program. The exercise program should also take into account common figure skating injuries.

In the end, when all is said and done, a skater must have the capacity to tolerate the demands of training and competition.

This requires a balance between movement competency (mobility, movement control, and coordination) and physical fitness (strength, speed, endurance-stamina, and agility). This skill set will be unique to each athlete.

When creating an injury management program for figure skating, a ground up approach can be taken. This approach needs to take into account on-ice and off-ice training.

On-ice, the skater’s contact with the ice is

What you need to know about

Injury Management

through the blade of the skate. This makes the foot and ankle complex of the utmost importance, which often tends to be neglected when creating an injury management program. For off-ice training, this becomes even more important because the skater will now be lacking the support they once had from the skates. These are all aspects that need to be taken into consideration when building an injury management program.

Exercises that are given to the athletes need to factor in figure skating biomechanics and the athletic skills needed in order to se-

THERE NEEDS TO BE AN EVIDENCEBASED ASSESSMENT OF THE ATHLETE IN ORDER TO SEE WHO IS MORE AT RISK FOR CERTAIN INJURIES.

40

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

Summary

quence and coordinate common figure skating movements. In other words, these exercises should help teach the body how to move in order to optimize, for example, explosiveness in the take off. Whether performing a jump combination or a step sequence, it all begins from the ground up. Altered foot control and dysfunction of the legs will impair upper body function and general body movements. So, avoiding compensatory movement will maintain high levels of training and will also help to sustain longevity on the ice. Competitive athletes in all sport are benefiting from this understanding and finding creative ways to incorporate injury management techniques into their training.

The more information obtained, the better the decisions that can be made. Therefore, information is power and this can lead to skaters reducing their risk for injury and achieving optimal performance.

Understand the biomechanics of the sport Know the athlete Know the common injuries, mechanisms, and risk factors Perform an evi-

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

dence-based assessment

Create an individualized exercise program based on the assessment and common injuries A figure skater’s capacity must be greater than the demands placed on his or her body

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

D

r. 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.

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

41

Figure Skater fitness

INJURY PREVENTION

Off-ice training principles

F

igure Skaters need to be graceful yet powerful, strong yet flexible, have enough cardiovascular endurance to make it though a long program but also have explosive energy to execute jumps in the latter part of their programs. A proper training program or office program can be designed to achieve all of these factors. Off-ice programs should be designed and individualized based on the skaters goals, the timing of their competitions or tests and when in the season the skater wishes to peak their performance. All skaters within a structured skating program should be performing an off-ice program that is complimentary to their on-ice training regime and not fatigue the skater while they are trying to increase their on-ice intensity in preparation for their upcoming competition or test. As the season progresses in intensity towards the competition portion of the season, the intensity of training on the ice will increase and become very sport-specific (program elements and run-throughs) while the off-ice program should focus on maintaining strength and power and also be very specific to the demands of the sport. The off-season is the time to build strength, endurance and power in the gym at which point the on-ice component is less specific and intense (focusing on technique changes and choreography). This is known as periodization of training and a good Strength and Conditioning Coach can help you establish such a program to meets your needs and goals. This will help to ensure that you have the base strength, endurance and power to complete the elements in your program without putting excess stress on your body, which can lead to injury.

Injury Prevention and Ma n a ge ment

T

he 2015-2016 Figure Skating season is underway. Whether you are working towards a specific skating test, Star Skate, Canadians or the World Championships, one thing all skaters want to avoid is injuries.

42

Injuries will occur when the stress placed on the body exceeds the body’s tolerance.

Injury prevention is multi-faceted and the more risk factors that can be controlled for during training, the better the chances are of avoiding injury.

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

Wa rm-Up/ Cool-Down

A

proper warm-up prior to your training session is important not only for physical preparation but can help with mental preparation as well. Most skaters are pretty good with this at competitions but this seems to be an area that can be dropped when schedules become busy around practice times. Muscles and tendons perform more efficiently and are a lot more forgiving when they are warm. Imagine “Silly Putty”. When you first pull and stretch “Silly Putty”, it does not stretch well and it can snap. Once it has been warmed up in your hands for a few minutes, it can stretch significantly further without tearing.

Muscles and tendons are the same. A proper warm-up should include an activity that gets your heart rate up and warms the muscles, joints and surrounding tissues. Skipping is a great way to achieve this and the jumping will help to keep the muscles active. Dynamic mobility should then be performed. This would include dynamic movements that use the range of motion needed to complete elements on the ice without sustaining

a long prolonged passive stretch that can make muscles sluggish before your session. Examples of this are high knees, buttock kicks, front kicks, side lunges and hip swings. You can then do program walk-throughs and off-ice jumps so that you are both physically and mentally prepared to take the ice for your session. Depending on the extent of the warm-up, this component should only take somewhere between 15-30 minutes but can make a big difference when it comes to preventing injuries. Also, if you are consistent with your warm-up prior to all practice sessions then when you do a proper warm-up before competition, your body will be used to the routine so will not be fatigued and competition anxiety levels will be less likely to elevate because your competition warm-up will not be any different than your training warm-up so your mind will think it is just doing what you do everyday.

After your session it is important to do a cooldown that includes a low-level physical activity (stationary bike, walking) that will help muscles replenish their energy stores and recover so you can repeat your training on your next scheduled session. This is also a good time to work on flexibility as the joints and surrounding tissues are nice and warm.

OTHERS T

he stresses imposed on the body during training are cumulative. It is important that skaters are mindful of these accumulated demands and focus on areas that can improve recovery and counteract the stresses that could potentially lead to injury.

Proper nutrition and hydration, adequate rest (between training sessions and events), and sleep are areas that can greatly impact how the body recovers from the stresses imposed upon it during the day-to-day training grind.

MEGHAN BUTTLE,

MANAGING INJURIES W

hile these injury prevention tips will help to minimize the incidence of injuries, sometimes, despite our best efforts, they can still occur.

Injury is something that all skaters (or any athlete) will have to deal with at some point. In sport we are always pushing our bodies to their limits in order to achieve new goals and in doing so, even with careful preparation, injuries can occur. It is important to address injuries as they arise. There are some acute injury principles that you can follow if you do sustain an injury at the rink. Most of us are familiar with the acronym RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) for managing acute injuries. With more research being conducted in this area, these principles have changed slightly. Pure immobilization or rest is not indicated unless there is significant injury to a bone. Immobilization can lead to joint stiffness and muscle atrophy after an injury, which can then take longer to rehabilitate than the healing process of the injured tissue. The ‘R’ principle has thus been changed to relative rest meaning that gentle movement (range of motion exercises) within the limits of pain are actually advised post-injury to maintain joint health, muscle strength and to also help eliminate the accumulation of swelling at the injury site.

Swelling is the result of bleeding from the actual injured structure and the bi-product of the chemical reaction that occurs when the healing cells remove the damaged tissue and start to lay down new tissue to heal the injury. This is a necessary step in the healing process thus we do not want to stop this from occurring. However, we do not want the swelling to become excessive that it creates significant pain and hinders the ability to perform gentle range of motion exercises. Compression is very effective at helping to stop the bleeding (seen as bruising) from the injured structure and limit the amount of swelling that accumulates without stopping the repair process from occurring. Ice can figureskaterfitnessmag.com

in fact constrict blood vessels and slow the healing process. This is not to say that ice is not important after an injury because it does work as an analgesic to diminish the pain post-injury but I would recommend that this come after compression in order of importance. Elevation can help to dissipate the swelling that has occurred post-injury thus elevation with gentle range of motion exercises together is most effective in achieving this goal.

The last principle when faced with an acute injury that is not included in the above acronym is seeking out the guidance of a physiotherapist. Physiotherapists are trained to preform an assessment that will not only diagnose the injury and the structure at fault but will also determine if there were any contributing factors such as muscle imbalances or alignment issues that may have lead to the injury in the first place. Physiotherapy can help to address the injury at hand by promoting proper healing while correcting any contributing factors to ensure that the injury heals properly and does not re-occur.

Ultimately this will allow the skater to come back from injury stronger then when the injury occurred in the first place. If you require assistance from a physiotherapist for any injuries, new or chronic, you can find a physiotherapist in your area by searching the following links: www.manippt.org www.sportphysio.ca www.physiotherapy.ca Stay tuned for the next issue of Figure Skater Fitness magazine where we will look at the most common injuries sustained by skaters.

Happy skating, Meghan

MSc.PT, BSc.KIN, FCAMPT, CGIMS, Sport Diploma (SPD)

REGISTERED PHYSIOTHERAPIST Adjunct Lecturer, University of Toronto – Department of Physical Therapy

M

eghan 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).

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

43

Figure Skater fitness

SKATERS CORNER

of the iceberg. It takes a confluence of several factors to produce world-class athletes.

Only an infinitesimal few are born with the extraordinary talents of Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan or Michelle Kwan.

How these ‘stars’ finessed their gift is legendary. Despite being the best, they practiced assiduously and enjoyed long careers.

While it may take a unique individual to devote themselves wholeheartedly to their sport, I have worked with passionate kids who skate only a few times a week. Yet their work ethic rivals that of a world competitor.

I’ve discovered that skating comes in all forms. A love of the sport is what inspires us at every level.

What a gift it has been to pass on my passion and expertise. And that is figure skating’s greatest gift to me.

Talent

Recommended Reading:

Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates world-class performer from everyone else by Geoffrey Colvin

It’s not the gift, it’s the grit that counts

It’s September, the “real” start of the year. Your fouryear-old joins Canskate at the local skating club and joins the lesson with other helmet-headed, snow-suit clad youngsters.

Y

ou sit in the stands and wonder if the coach notices your child. It is a common enquiry. On the other side of the boards however, it doesn’t take long for the coach to get to know all the canskaters. Each one is unique.

Most kids love to skate after they master the ‘art of the glide.’ It feels like flying. But for every ‘flier’ there are also kids who are reluctant and fearful. They need encouragement.

Others just want to race off to the arena snack bar.

Passion exists within all kids but for some, skating is not where it is

44

found. Kids are transparent. If yours loves to skate they possess spark and a “love of the game”.

Drive follows talent; when we have an affinity for something we embrace it. Practice is less a chore than the joy of discovery - the thrill of skill acquisition.

As a kid, I was obsessed! I lived to skate. On my days off I daydreamed about performing for Canada in front of thousands of people. I would spend hours in the basement choreographing routines to The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins.

When competitions were sched-

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

uled on TV, I raced home to watch.

As a pre-teen, my coach moved to a new club across town. Finally I got to skate every day. And share the ice with world-class skaters!

Eventually the thrill of skating morphed into fierce determination as I climbed the competitive ladder.

On tough days it was that “joy of the glide” to which I tried to connect.

The only requirements? Beautiful music and the ice.

As a coach I have seen many gifted skaters leave the sport to embrace other opportunities. It becomes clear that talent is the tip

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

45

talk Figure Skaters

Figure Skater fitness

TALK

Lara

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT BEING ON THE ICE?

Natalie (12 YEARS OLD)

I feel like I can skate fast and I like when I am able to reach a goal and make my coach and parents proud of me. I like being on my own on the ice but I also like skating with my friend who is at the same club as I am.

(13 YEARS OLD)

I love to be on the ice since the sport allows me to express my creativity and compete.

Brooke (8 YEARS OLD)

Kira

(11 YEARS OLD) I like going on the ice because it makes me feel like I am flying and I like when I jump because it feels like I am on a roller coaster.

What I like most about being on the ice is the beauty and gracefulness of jumping, spinning and moving my body. When I am on the ice, I feel FREE! I love the feeling of speed and the challenge of being powerful and graceful at the same time. Those are my favorite things when I am on the ice!

Sydney

DO YOU THINK FITNESS IS IMPORTANT FOR FIGURE SKATING AND WHY? 46

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

(11 YEARS OLD)

Natalie

Yes fitness is definitely important as it makes your body stronger to do jumps and spins. It also makes you feel better and I don’t get tired as fast.

Kira I think fitness is important for figure skating because to be a figure skater you have to have flexibility, core strength, upper body strength, lower body strength, and stamina and fitness helps with all of this.

Yes, because you have to be fit to keep skating through the whole program and to do the moves properly.

Brooke Lara Fitness is a necessity to be a successful figure skater. It helps to prevent injury and increase the ability. I believe no one can be both too strong and flexible and that competitive skaters will continue to raise the bar in the sport.

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

I think fitness is essential for skating because you get strength from working out, and if you didn’t have strength on the ice you would not be able to lift your body off the ground and land correctly. You also need speed to do anything on the ice, and that comes from STRENGTH and strength comes from fitness. That is why I think fitness is important for figure skating!

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

47

Figure Skater fitness

GLAMOUR

Let’s tango hair and Make-Up

Charlotte T

ango dancers are known for their confidence, expression, and rhythm. Tango themed programs are the hit for the season, but how do you capture the essence of these dancers in you? Here are some examples of the makeup and hair that is easy, fun, and gives you the sass that these dancers made famous:

At 16, Charlotte wants to make getting ready for competition fast, but a step up in glamour. The result is a sophisticated yet appropriate hairstyle with complimenting makeup application.

Hair:

1 2

Brush through hair.

Lightly dampen with water to smooth fly away hairs. Use gel if needed.

Create a left side part straight down the head from the forehead to the back of the neck (part hair approximately mid eyebrow). Comb the hair to the left and the right of the part away to create two defined sections.

3

Working on the left side, take a 2 ­inch wide section of hair starting at the hairline and begin to french braid along the edge of the hair line until you reach

50

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

the nape of the neck. Only add hair from the left side of the part to the braid. Secure braid with a thin elastic to the base of the head and use bobby pins if needed. If hair is long, make sure braid is firmly attached to the side of the head, it is not necessary to braid the hair further than the nape of the neck.

4

Gather both sections of hair to the lower right side of the hairline into a ponytail. Comb through the hair to ensure a clean look.

5

Create a bun using your method of choice. In this photo, Charlotte is wearing a donut bun that is wrapped around the base of her head and secured with

bobby pins and elastics. Use a hairnet around the bun if needed.

6

Add a rose to accent this sophisticated hairstyle. Use bobby pins and elastics to secure the hair piece, or using a glue gun prior to competition to fuse a bobby pin to the rose stem.

7

To finish the look, wrap your scrunchie around the bun and set hair with hairspray. If using a glitter hairspray, it is recommended to use a strong control hairspray first to hold down the style and then the glitter hairspray for extra glam.

Makeup:

wash of color close to your skin tone all over your eyes. Add a medium to dark brown eyeshadow into the crease concentrating the color to the outer corner of the lid. Press a shimmery champagne shadow to the centre of the lid and on the brow bone for dimension. Blend colors well.

1

Begin with a clean face. Use a medium to full coverage foundation that is one to two shades darker than your natural skin tone.

Going too light will wash out your face on the ice. This is more makeup than you would apply on a regular day but will make you look flawless and camera ready. Apply concealer as needed, set with matching powder.

4

Use a black eyeliner of your choice close to your top lash line to create definition to your eyes. Extend the eyeliner out and upwards slightly to create a doe­eyed look. This will extend the natural shape of your eyes without creating harsh lines or a top h ­ eavy look.

2

Fill in eyebrows as needed with a pencil or powder. If the hairs are unruly comb brow gel through them.

3

Use an eyeshadow primer all over eyelid if possible to ensure longevity of eye makeup.

Start by applying a

5

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

Curl lashes and apply mascara to your top and bottom lashes. False eyelashes are option-

al, make sure that you’re comfortable wearing them and they’re secure on your lid! Use mascara to blend your natural lashes with the false ones.

6

Apply your blush of choice to the apples of your cheeks. Blend the color up and out towards your temples.

Optional: Use a matte bronzer to lightly contour your cheekbones.

7

Use a dark red or wine colored lip liner to fill in entire lip. This way if the lip color feathers, it is not as noticeable. Use concealer around the edges of your mouth to keep the lip color crisp. Use a matching lip color on top to finish the lips. Avoid using lip gloss, as it could be transferrable when competing.

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

51

Figure Skater fitness

GLAMOUR

Let’s tango hair and Make-Up

Jananiy

At 17, Jananiy’s focus is on artistry and elegance. For her tango routine, we are going to do textured bun paired with a strong cat eye.

Hair:

1

Section off the hair into 2 horizontal sections going from ear to ear. The top section should be all of the hair above the ears, clip away for now.

2

Starting at the bottom section, use a curling iron or wand to create soft curls in the ends of the hair. Jananiy’s hair was curled using a 1” barrel curling iron, started by clamping the ends and rolling towards the scalp to concentrate the curl at the ends.

3

Work your way slowly from the bottom section to the top. It

52

FIGURESKATERFITNESS OCTOBER 2015

doesn’t have to be perfect, its to create texture in the hair.

4 5

Gather all the hair from the top section into a low ponytail on one side of your head.

Create a bun using the method choice using only the top section of hair. Jananiy is using a donut bun in the photo.

6

Using bobby pins, attach the curled pieces of the hair around the base of the donut bun to give texture.

If hair is very long and the loose pieces are hanging off, pin another section of the hair around the bun

or even into the center of the donut. Use a hairnet to keep everything secure along with a small elastic.

7

Add a rose to accent this sophisticated hairstyle. Use bobby pins and elastics to secure the hair piece, or using a glue gun prior to competition to fuse a bobby pin to the rose stem.

8

To finish the look, wrap your scrunchie around the bun and set hair with hairspray. If using a glitter hairspray, it is recommended to use a strong control hairspray first to hold down the style and then the glitter hairspray for extra glam.

Makeup:

1

4

2 3

5

Begin with a clean face. Use a medium to full coverage foundation that is one to two shades darker than your natural skin tone. Going too light will wash out your face on the ice. This is more makeup than you would apply on a regular day but will make you look flawless and camera ready.

Apply concealer as needed, set with matching powder.

Fill in eyebrows as needed with a pencil or powder. If the hairs are unruly comb brow gel through them.

Use an eyeshadow primer all over eyelid if possible to ensure longevity of eye makeup.

Start by applying a wash of color close to your skin tone all over your eyes. Add a medium to dark brown eyeshadow into the crease concentrating the color to the outer corner of the lid. Press a shimmery champagne shadow to the centre of the lid and on the brow bone for dimension. Blend colors well.

figureskaterfitnessmag.com

Tightline your eyes using a waterproof black eyeliner on your bottom and top waterline. Apply eyeliner on the top lash line and extend outward into a wing. Connect the wing to the bottom lashline.

Curl lashes and apply mascara to your top and bottom lashes. False eyelashes are optional, make sure that you’re comfortable wearing them and they’re secure on your lid!

Use mascara to blend your natural lashes with the false ones.

Apply your blush of choice to the apples of your cheeks.

Blend the color up and out towards your temples. Optional: Use a matte bronzer to lightly contour your cheekbones.

6

Use a red lip liner to fill in entire lip. This way if the lip color feathers, it is not as noticeable. Use concealer around the edges of your mouth to keep the lip color crisp. Use a matching lip color on top to finish the lips. Avoid using lip gloss, as it could be transferrable when competing.

OCTOBER 2015

FIGURESKATERFITNESS

53