Outline

1. Stretching v. Warm-up1. Definition2. Purposes3. Effectiveness4. Recommendations

2. Warm-up for Skating

3. Stretching for Skating1. Type of Stretching2. When to Stretch3. What to Stretch

A Figure Skaters Guide to Warming Up and Stretching

Warm-up for Success

Deborah L. King, PhD, Department Exercise and Sport Sciences, Ithaca CollegeFigure Skating Medical Symposium, CMC Sports Medicine Athletic Performance, December 2010

Warm – upActivities and movements that increase body temperature

prior to exercise

Stretching Activities or motions that increase the extensibility of muscles

Definitions

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

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

Effectiveness

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

Recommendations

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

Specifics for Skaters – Warm-up

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

Recommendations

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)

Specifics for Skaters – Habitual Stretching

Stretching Tips

1. After practice, training, or evenings is recommended2. Warm up muscles before stretching

– If at rink, find a warm room3. Aim for 5 minutes of each muscle group

– Many stretches will do more than one muscle group at a time4. 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 ….