Outline
1. Stretching v. Warm-up
1.
2.
3.
4.
Definition
Purposes
Effectiveness
Recommendations
Warm-up for Success
2. Warm-up for Skating
A
Figure
Skaters
Guide
to
Warming
3. Stretching for Skating
Up and Stretching
1. Type of Stretching
2. When to Stretch
3. What to Stretch
Deborah L. King, PhD, Department Exercise and Sport Sciences, Ithaca College
Figure Skating Medical Symposium, CMC Sports Medicine Athletic Performance, December 2010
Definitions
Warm – up
Activities and movements that increase body temperature
prior to exercise
Stretching
Activities or motions that increase the extensibility of muscles
Purposes
Warm-up
– Improve performance
• Increase body temperature
– Increases muscle force, nerve conduction, rate of chemical reactions,
strength and power
• Increase heart rate and respiratory rate
– Increase blood flow and exchange of O2 and CO2
• Mental/psychological preparation
– Imagery, Focus of attention, Motivation, Arousal
– Decrease injuries
• Increase body temperature
– Improve extensibility of muscles
Purposes
Stretching
– Long term (daily stretching over months and years):
• Improve flexibility
– Attain proper positions or postures for sport
– Improved performance
• Avoid muscle or joint imbalances
– Maintain proper mechanics
– Short term (stretching prior to exercise):
• Improve extensibility of muscles and pain free range of motion
– Prevent muscle strains or other injuries
Effectiveness
Stretching
– Limited and conflicting evidence that stretching PRIOR to
exercise decreases injury rates
• Pre-participation stretching is
– Ineffective in reducing over use injuries (military, running, team
sports)
– Only somewhat effective in reducing muscle strains
– Stretching PRIOR to performance decreases force
production of muscles
• Pre-participation stretching:
– Decreases strength output
– Can decrease power output
Recommendations
Warm-up
– Focus on active (dynamic) components:
• Generally improve performance
• May lessen injury rates
– To enhance performance:
• Raise body temperature (avoid excessive thermoregulatory strain)
• Elevate VO2
• Include brief task-specific bursts
– To prevent acute sport specific injuries:
•
•
•
•
Warm up exercises – about 5 min
Technique alignment exercises – about 5 minutes
Balance exercises – about 5 minutes
Strength & Power exercises – about 2 minutes
Specifics for Skaters – Warm-up
Practice – Off ice
• 5 minutes of activities to raise body temperature
– Jump rope , Exercise bike, Slide board, Jogging
• 5 minutes dynamic stretching
– Ankles, Knee flexors/extensors, Hip flexion/extension, Hip
Abduction/Adduction
• 5 minutes balance/strength/speed /power
– Lunges
– Off ice jumps & Landings
– Sprints or quick bursts with jump rope, bike, slide board
Specifics for Skaters – Warm-up
Practice – On ice
• 5 minutes of skating to raise body temperature
• 5 minutes dynamic stretching
– Next to board
• Knee flexors/extensors, Hip flexion/extension, Hip Abduction/Adduction
– While skating
• Lunges, squats
• 5 minutes balance/speed/power
– Crossovers and glide length of ice on one foot
– Waltz jumps focus on height and landing
– Power stroking, footwork, …
Specifics for Skaters – Warm-up
Competition
• Off ice warm up (about 15 minutes) prior to on ice group warm-up
• Depending on skate order, after group warm-up
– Short wait:
• Skates on:
– Mental run through
– Dynamic stretches to stay warm
– Long wait
• Skates off:
– 5-10 minutes warm up that can be repeated
– Walk through program off ice
• Skates on
– Mental run through
– Dynamic stretches to stay warm
Specifics for Skaters – Warm-up
Things to remember:
– Rinks are cold
– Skaters will cool off quickly
• Have Layers
• Keep Moving
Recommendations
Stretching
– Flexibility is important
– Skaters can easily develop muscle imbalances
A habitual stretching program is important
– Stretch after practices, in evenings
– Raise body temp prior to stretching
– Target muscle groups that:
• Tend to get tight and are over worked
• Allow needed flexibility for sport performance
Specifics for Skaters – Habitual Stretching
Types of Stretches
• Static
– Recommended 5 minutes of total stretch per muscle group
– Typically do 5 x 60 seconds
• PNF Stretching - common technique is Contract-Relax
– Contract muscle against resistance for 10 seconds
– Relax and stretch for 30 + seconds
– Repeat 2 to 5 times
• Dynamic Stretching
– Move joints through ROM with controlled exaggerated motions
– Can do set time or repeat set distances
Specifics for Skaters – Habitual Stretching
Muscles that tend to get tight:
– Calf (gastrocnemius and soleus)
Specifics for Skaters – Habitual Stretching
Muscles that tend to get tight:
– Tibialis Anterior
Specifics for Skaters – Habitual Stretching
Muscles that tend to get tight:
– Low back (erector spinae)
Specifics for Skaters – Habitual Stretching
Muscles that tend to get tight:
– Hip Abductors (TFL, Gluteus
Medius)
Specifics for Skaters – Habitual Stretching
Muscles that tend to get tight:
– Hip Adductors (Iliopsoas, rectus
femoris)
Specifics for Skaters – Habitual Stretching
Muscles that tend to get tight:
– Hip Flexors (Iliopsoas, rectus
femoris)
Specifics for Skaters – Habitual Stretching
Muscles that tend to get tight:
– Hip Extensors (gluteus
maximums, hamstrings)
Specifics for Skaters – Habitual Stretching
Muscles that tend to get tight:
– Hip Lateral Rotators (piriformis,
gluteus maximus)
Stretching Tips
1. After practice, training, or evenings is recommended
2. Warm up muscles before stretching
– If at rink, find a warm room
3. Aim for 5 minutes of each muscle group
– Many stretches will do more than one muscle group at a time
4. Focus on:
– Muscles prone to tightness/imbalances
– Joints needing range of motion
5. Flexibility does not necessarily
• decrease injury rates
• Improve performance
Three Keys to Success
• Warm–up
– Raise your body temp,
HR, breathing rate
• Warm-up
– Use dynamic stretching
to take muscles through
ROM
• Warm-up
– Add balance, speed, and
power activities
And Lastly
• Maintain muscle
balances and joint
ranges of motion with
stretching as part of
your conditioning
program not as part of a
warm-up
Questions and Discussion ….